By Nayeli Alonzo
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
As an 11-year-old boy in 2017, Adam Shutsky had no idea that when his family took him to Ocean City, Maryland, he would see kite stunt performers who would offer him a chance to fly a quad-line kite for the first time.
From those humble beginnings, Shutsky and his family are now passionate kite flyers who take pride in showcasing tricks and stunts with kites that go far beyond the simple diamond-shaped ones they began with all those years before.
“It’s really neat if that kind of spark can take off, you know what I mean?” said Adam Shutsky’s father, Dave Shutsky, of Locust Point.
Stories like the Shutsky’s fuel events like The Big Baltimore Kite Festival, which was held last Saturday at Patterson Park and has been a staple of the Baltimore community for the past eight years.
The event hosted by Creative Alliance and Friends of Patterson Park integrated various neighborhoods in the city and pushed people to come outside, enjoy themselves, support local businesses, and fly some kites.
The festival attracted hundreds of people with the warm weather, inviting everyone to come outside.
Locals who have witnessed the event’s growth from its inception highlighted the significance of the festival, saying it serves as a continuous serotonin booster each year.
Members of UkuLaLas, a group that gathers Tuesdays to perform free stroller drums for children at the Patterson Park observatory, had just finished performing and headed to the festival to join in on the fun.
“It’s the kickoff of spring; Patterson Park is one of the best parks in Maryland, perhaps the United States,” said Molly Fein, a member of the UkuLaLas.
“It’s grown from a hundred people to thousands,” said Sue Colley, a local resident who is also part of UkuLaLas. “It’s great for the community. It just brings all the neighborhoods together.”
The free event had a DJ who sat atop the hill by the Patterson Observatory, where major bubbles decorated the air. Hula hoops were spread throughout the park for anybody walking past to pick up and swing their hips.
The free kite-making workshop was a major attraction. Over 20 vendors, ranging from vintage clothes, jewelry, desserts, lotions, restaurants and much more, lined the walkways, and it was not long before large crowds cluttered the booths.
The event was especially popular for families who wanted to distract their kids for a while.
Erika Chippini, a child psychologist who is a local to Fells Point, comes every year with her daughter Maya.
“Patterson in particular does a good job of having monthly things to do throughout the year,” Chippini said. “Building the kite was the best part, right, Maya?”
Children flooded the festival, and many parents agreed that Patterson Park does a great job of constantly hosting events that kids could participate in.
Garry Bien’aime, the executive director of Haitian Komite Ayiti, is one of the founders of the kite festival. Bien’aime hosted a build-your-own-kite workshop during the event, where he made kites from scratch and offered attendees to join him for free.
Bien’aime said that in his native Haiti during this time of year, many kids competitively fly kites, and his workshop is to express the Haitian culture through arts. He said the importance of events like the kite fest is to bring all generations together to form a community and engage with it.
When looking at kites, there were various shapes and sizes.
“I’ve got one that’s 525 square feet,” said Ben Huggett, director of Region 2 of the American Kitefliers Association. “We like to tell people about all the options, all the different things you can do with this hobby.”
Despite the kites being the main attraction, the event was bustling with activities at every corner.
The sound of singing bowls and gongs chimed through a peaceful patch of park, where sound bath meditation and community yoga were happening.
A few minutes up the hill, there were caricatures, a sokol gymnastic performance and opportunities to learn how to yoyo and juggle.
When asked what draws small businesses to attend events like these, vendor Bria Price simply said, “Everything.”
Price, a Baltimore native and owner of Build-A-Book Workshop, is also a writer who regularly attends community events.
Like many other vendors, Price said she comes to connect with the community and meet local people. She said she also likes to teach people about book bonding while learning new things from others in the community.
Vendors such as Isabel Gandarilla, corporate manager of the Inspiration Company, said she comes to spread positivity through their inspirational quotes engraved on the company’s jewelry.
A common theme among vendors was appreciation toward their community and showing up to give others support like what they had received.
“Keep coming outside so we can keep things like this thriving,” said Brittany Starr, Starr Lite Potions CEO.
People who attended the kite festival said events like this show that Baltimore is about more than crime and the other negative stereotypes that typically make it into the news. Many of those interviewed said they really love the city and what it has to offer.
“My dad lived just south of the city, and it’s not a super wealthy area. And we’re always talking about how Baltimore gets a really bad rap, and people assume that it’s just, like, miserable and filthy,” said Alyssa Kent, a Towson University student. “I feel like today is really nice to be able to show people, like, ‘Yeah, we have a really good time, and we all look out for each other.’”
“It just makes me proud to live here and of all the people that are here because they’re all really good people,” Kent added.
“You can feel so much love and community,” said Megan Szostak, a new resident of Baltimore City. “Sometimes you just need to play in the park with your neighbors.”