USPS Publication Number 16300
THE
SUMMATIONWeeklyy
This Community Newspaper is a publication of the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association
S E RV I N G T H E F I RS T J U D I C I A L C I RC U I T
HIGH FLYING FUN Vol. 26, No. 10
March 11, 2026
SummationWeekly.com
1 Section, 8 Pages
Section A, Page 1
KITES ON THE COAST 2026
Photos courtesy of Council on Aging of West Florida
By Emily Higgins
I
f you are looking for a fun, family-friendly event that gives back to the community, Council on Aging of West Florida’s annual Kites on the Coast is for you! Colorful kites will be soaring high at the fifth annual Kites on the Coast festival, which will be held at the Casino Beach Pavillion on Pensacola Beach from 12 pm Friday, March 13 through 2 pm Sunday, March 15. Throughout the weekend, massive show kites and zooming stunt kites by Chicago Kite and SkyFX will be soaring above the beach as the community explores local vendors and food trucks, enjoys music, and participates in activities. On Friday and Saturday evening, lighted kites will glide through the air for a night kite show, weather permitting. Kites will be available for sale at this event, or attendees are free to bring their own kites from home. Proceeds from sponsorships and donations will directly benefit Council on Aging of West Florida, which serves aging adults and caregivers in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties through programs like Meals on Wheels, case management, adult day care and more. The purpose of the event is to celebrate the intergenerational attraction of the classic pastime of kite flying,
something that every age group can appreciate. “We’re thrilled to bring Kites on the Coast to the community and introduce those that don’t know our agency to all that Council on Aging does for older adults,” Council on Aging Marketing Communications Director Emily Echevarria said. “Even if someone just comes out to enjoy the amazing kite demonstrations, they’ll hear about Council on Aging and have an idea of who to call when they do have those elder care needs.”
"We’re thrilled to bring Kites on the Coast to the community and introduce those that don’t know our agency to all that Council on Aging does for older adults." Cat Country will be onsite live on Friday with music, and a local ukulele group will be performing during Saturday’s festivities. Kid’s area activities include arts and crafts and the opportunity to Send Sunshine to a Senior by drawing a picture or making a card that will be delivered to Council on Aging clients to help brighten their day.
While this event will have many activities for individuals of all ages, the main event consists of thrilling kite shows put on by Chicago Kite and SkyFX. Owner of Chicago Kite David Zavell, will be performing the kite show along with members of his team. “Some of my favorite things about performing at this event are the sandy beach, the open air, the different temperature and getting to put up kites that people have never seen,” Zavell said. Zavell says he also enjoys the ease and warmth of the South and
its people. Throughout the year, Zavell and his team at Chicago Kite do about 34 events, where they travel to locations from California to Guantanamo Bay and, of course, Florida. Since Chicago Kite is based in Chicago, primarily do shows in the Midwest. David says his favorite kite would be the easiest one to fly, but since the kites are inflated by air, the ease of flying the kite depends on how much wind there is on a given day. During the shows, Zavell interacts with the audience a lot, and he says that he enjoys hearing the
different questions people have about the kites. He says people are often astonished by how large some of the kites are, which range from 15 to 100 feet long. But Chicago Kite does not only perform; they also sell a wide range of specialty kites. Kites on the Coast is a free event that’s open to the entire community. On Friday, March 13, the evening portion of the kite flying will coincide with the first night of Cinemas in the Sand with a family-friendly film playing at the Gulfside Pavilion. For more information and updates visit kitesonthecoast.org. ■
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