Callaway Kite Flight, Callaway, Nebraska

Callaway Kite Flight, Callaway, Nebraska August 30 & 31, 2025
10 am - 4 pm
Labor Day Weekend
Kites, Vendors, Family Fun Early on, Connie and I had decided that this fly would have no formal contests.

Callaway with Friends
Authors: Scott Skinner
Date Submitted: December, 2014
Article type: Discourse
I’ve told the story to many of you, but it bears repeating now that I’ve taken two old kite flying friends with me to Callaway, Nebraska. Twenty-four years ago I was contacted by a woman who knew nothing about kites and kite flying, but who was the #1 advocate for her small Nebraska town of Calla

way. Working for the local chamber of commerce, Connie May called me to see if a local kite fly might be a way for the town to attract late-summer, Labor Day tourists. Callaway is a town of about 1,000 people, most of whom farm or support farming – corn fields stretch in every direction from the edges of town. Connie was looking for a wholesome event that the local infrastructure could support, and she explained that while there was one hotel (the Motel Four, more about this later) fliers could camp in the city park, use the municipal pool showers, and be treated to a local bake sale, karaoke in the park, and impromptu events that might happen over the long weekend. As it turned out, I couldn’t even come to that first Callaway Kite Flight, I’m pretty sure I was committed to Dieppe, France, but I did drive out and set up kites in Callaway’s local library, to be picked up after the event. In retrieving the kites, I found that Connie was completely enamored by the success of the first fly and that this would be an annual event. Now, 23 years later, I convinced Ron Gibian and Jose Sainz to come with me and see if they might be as impressed as I am with the kite flying purity of this event. It would be a showcase for fliers of single and multi-line kites, purely for the enjoyment of the audience (and that meant the enjoyment of the fliers, as well). Jose and Ron flew into Denver to begin our journey to Callaway. It’s really not so bad that the drive from Colorado Springs to Callaway is six hours, but Nebraska is on Central time, so the six hours becomes seven when you factor that in. I warned my passengers that this was the case, but by getting a fairly early start, I knew that our lunch stop would be the first of their unique impressions of Callaway. A couple hours “this side” of Callaway, and right off the interstate in a town even smaller that Callaway is Ole’s in Paxton. The original family who owned Ole’s traveled all over the world on hunting trips, and the bounty of their travels adorns the walls of the restaurant and tavern. Deer, elk, bison, even a standing polar bear decorate almost every vertical surface. These days it strikes the first-timer as the most politically-incorrect place on the planet, but ask Jose or Ron if it’s also one of the most memorable! http://www.drachen.org/article/callaway-friends

Come dunk Mr. Furrow and Lawrence Paulsen!!!! They are looking far too dry!
08/31/2025

Come dunk Mr. Furrow and Lawrence Paulsen!!!! They are looking far too dry!

A beautiful morning sunrise after the rain. Bring your family, your lawn chairs and your umbrellas and join us TODAY AND...
08/30/2025

A beautiful morning sunrise after the rain. Bring your family, your lawn chairs and your umbrellas and join us TODAY AND TOMORROW for the 34th annual Callaway Kite Callaway Kite Flight, Callaway, Nebraska

08/30/2025

CALLAWAY— A sky full of color, creativity, and community spirit will return this Labor Day weekend as the 34th Annual Callaway Kite Flight takes to Foster Smith Field. Saturday and Sunday’s events will take place four miles east of Callaway on Highway 40 from 10 AM to 4 PM each day. Organizer Ki...

Thank you, Dan Trumbull, and Callaway Volunteer Fire and Rescue for filling up our dunk tank! Come out Sunday from 11-3 ...
08/29/2025

Thank you, Dan Trumbull, and Callaway Volunteer Fire and Rescue for filling up our dunk tank! Come out Sunday from 11-3 to give Mr. Furrow, Mr. Birkel, and Lawrence Paulsen a nice cold bath!!!

Great group of kids helping us fill holes at Foster Smith Field this morning. Thank you to the senior class of Callaway...
08/27/2025

Great group of kids helping us fill holes at Foster Smith Field this morning. Thank you to the senior class of Callaway Public Schools, Denise Sughayar, and Matthew Stutzman for taking a cool morning walk in the field.

In case you missed it, here is the link for the live interview broadcast this morning. Thank you to Ellen Simmons at KRV...
08/27/2025

In case you missed it, here is the link for the live interview broadcast this morning. Thank you to Ellen Simmons at KRVN 880 for reaching out and putting this all together!

Catch us on the radio tomorrow morning at 9:15 with Jeremy Shipe - KCNI & KBBN Radio!

See kites fly at the 34th Annual Callaway Kite Flight this Labor Day Weekend. KRVN's Ellen Simmons talks with Callaway Kite Flight Chairperson Kindle Rice about the festivities.

08/26/2025

CALLAWAY, NE – Foster Smith Field, four miles east of Callaway, Nebraska along Highway 40, will be filled with kites of all colors and sizes this Labor Day Weekend. The 34th Annual Callaway Kite…

08/25/2025

Exclusive first look at the 2025 Callaway Kite Flight t-shirts. Light and colorful and ready to compliment anything you have in your wardrobe. Seriously, you should buy two because you're going to want to wear them Every. Single. Day.

Shirts will be available to purchase at the field during the event.

Thirty-four years?! YES! You read that right! Back in 1990 (way back when if you're under the age of 25) Connie May deci...
08/20/2025

Thirty-four years?! YES! You read that right! Back in 1990 (way back when if you're under the age of 25) Connie May decided she wanted to create an event that would bring families and people from all walks of life together to enjoy and appreciate the art (and science) of flying kites. She put a ton of work and love into the very first event and every event thereafter, single-handedly making Callaway the Kite Flight Capital of Nebraska. I was 8 years old at the time of the first event and I was hooked. I am so honored to get to continue where she left off.

Connie may be gone, but her legacy lives on, inspiring joy and wonder in thousands of people every year. When you pull in to Callaway Kite Flight, Callaway, Nebraska you will be greeted by this portrait of the handsome couple that simply wanted to bring happiness and a little color to an already beautiful Nebraska landscape. So smile and wave and attach a big "Thank you" to a kite string and send it soaring to Connie.

August 30 & 31, 2025We can't wait to see all your smiling faces!
08/15/2025

August 30 & 31, 2025
We can't wait to see all your smiling faces!

August 30 & 31, 2025!The two days of the year you can tell someone to "Go fly a kite!" and it isn't an insult!So mark yo...
08/04/2025

August 30 & 31, 2025!
The two days of the year you can tell someone to "Go fly a kite!" and it isn't an insult!
So mark you calendars! Mark your friends calendars! Heck, go ahead and mark it across their forehead! Just don't miss this year's event!
We can't wait to see you all in Callaway on August 30 & 31!

Address

Foster Smith Field, 4 Mi SE On Highway 40
Callaway, NE
68825

Opening Hours

Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+13088706156

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Callaway Kite Flight, Callaway, Nebraska posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Callaway Kite Flight, Callaway, Nebraska:

Shortcuts

Share

Category