How often the wind is muttered at and bemoaned, and not just by people leaving the hair salon or the fancy frock shop (two things a strong breeze has been known to undo, or upend, in mere seconds).
But wind, of course, is a friend, too. Look to the massive turbines of Gorgonio Pass by Palm Springs, and other wind-to-energy farms, and look to those soul-stirring sights that only wind can whip up.
Dandelion fluff blowing by is one such sight, and so are kites, which, we think goes without saying, are the wind's BFFs. You can see this time-old friendship — kites + wind 4evr — on most excellent and free-to-see display in Redondo Beach on Sunday, March 8.
The Festival of the Kite has been around for four long decades, plus a year, which is rather less time than wind has been around, but still is quite impressive, and long-running, nonetheless.
Anyone can join, if they arrive with a kite, and anyone can watch, if they happen to be in the vicinity of Redondo Pier between the hours of noon and 5 p.m. If that end time has you a little concerned that you might be flying your magic dragon as shadows fall, take heart: March 8 is the start of Daylight Saving Time, so sunset is later. (Also a good note to remember to spring forward, too.)
Need a kite? Sunshine Kite Company is the co-host of the day of wind and whimsy, along with the Redondo Pier Association. Do you remember when you last bought string and something to tie it to, in order to make that something fly above your head? Was it even in this millennium?
Really, these are the questions we need to be asking ourselves. It might seem like a light query, when you last flew a kite, but if it has been too long, that might be cause for further introspection.
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Don't take it from us. The close of "Mary Poppins" is all about a man reconnecting with his family, dreams, and happy life through the act of kite-flying. This classic would not steer us wrong.
All right, wind, we'll see you at Redondo Pier on the first day of DST, sunnier evenings, and good times. We'll bring the kite, you bring the breeze.
