Flying High on a Kite String of Fun

There was a yo-yo contest up on one section of the , and a martial arts demonstration. But out on the adjacent sand it was all about the kites, hundreds of them blowing in the sea breeze: Dragon kites, shark kites, kites with Barbie and Belle and Snow White, kites with Batman and Spiderman, batwing kites, box kites, kites shaped like fish and insects and airplanes and ocean vessels. Kites of all colors and styles, all flying in the breeze.

The 38th Annual Festival of the Kite, held Sunday, is probably one of the oldest in California. Tom Fine, owner of the on the pier, said he's been working the festival for the past 20 years.

"Everyone seems to be having fun," he said, observing the estimated 2,500 people, mostly families, out on the sand.

Rogelio Mendoza, Jr., who was flying a 12-foot multi-colored batwing kite with spinners on its tail, said that he'd been coming to the festival for 20 years.

"I'm a big fan," he said.

Albert Nguyen, 10, said that flying kites was definitly fun, though he couldn't say what it was about it that was so cool.

"I don't know," he said, before running off with an insect kite.

The festival also featured the annual corn dog eating contest, with competitive eater Johnnie Excel capturing this year's cash prize, blasting through 14 corn dogs and breaking the six-year record of nine.