Great Boston Kite Festival: Official Proceedings

Client

Committee for the Better Use of Air

Date

May 17, 1969

Location

Boston, MA

Discipline

Description

The first Great Boston Kite Festival involved plenty of playful pomp and circumstance, including a dozen judges (two of whom would do their judging from a hot air balloon and a paraglider, respectively), a full bandstand, an appearance by Boston Mayor Kevin White, and a parade including a kazoo marching band. Known judges included:

  • China Altman, LIFE Magazine writer (judging from a hot air balloon)
  • Frank Avruch, actor (Bozo the Clown)
  • Drew Hyde, director of the Institute for Contemporary Art
  • Jim Nance, fullback for the New England Patriots
  • Dr. Pratiditya Pal, curator of Indian art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
  • Michael Spock, director of the Boston Children’s Museum
  • Ted Strong, skydiver (judging from a paraglider)
  • Hanns Swarenski, curator of Decorative Arts and Sculpture at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Special thanks to artist Darrah Bowden for her research, enabling us to identify many of the GBKF-related images in the collection.