Kite Fliers
Kerry and Lucy
St Dennis Jonkman
Kerry and Lucy have been passionate kite flyers for nearly 30 years. They seize every opportunity to get outdoors and soar their colorful creations.
Over the past two decades, they’ve taken their hobby to new heights by crafting their own kites, transforming their collection into a vibrant array of ground displays and sky-bound aquariums.
One of their favorite aspects of kite flying is the wonderful community—they’ve met the most amazing and friendly people at festivals across Canada.
Fred and Donna
Taylor
Kites, banners, and bubbles! Donna and Fred Taylor bring their creativity to life through their vibrant displays.
Their passion has taken them to festivals across Canada, the USA, and even overseas. Based in Port Colborne in Ontario’s picturesque Niagara Region, they harness the breezes of Lake Erie to showcase their collection.
As active kite makers and wind garden designers, most of what you see in the sky or on the ground is their own creation. At festivals, look for their spectacular show kites, stunt kites, and colourful banners.
Steve and Phyllis
Franklin
Steve and Phyllis Franklin from Cambridge, Ontario, have been passionate about kiting for six years.
They love traveling to different places with their kites, spreading joy and watching the happy faces of kids and adults alike.
Steve and Phyllis are thrilled to be a part of Brampton KiteFest. They can’t wait to share their love of kites with everyone!
Peter Jung
Peter Jung is a local kite flyer from North York, Ontario, known for his vibrant and large kites.
You can often spot him at various parks around the GTA, especially Woodbine Beach, with kites featuring beloved video game and cartoon characters like Super Mario Bros and Hello Kitty. Watching these characters come to life in the sky never fails to bring smiles to the crowd!
Yves Laforest
Kite flying started for Yves at age 10 when his father tried to make a kite, which didn’t quite fly. Determined, his father bought him his first single-line delta kite with a 5-foot wingspan. Yves flew it constantly and still has it today.
Years later, Yves saw acrobatic kites in St-Eustache and quickly dove in, buying several right away. He became a member of the Fédération Québécoise du Cerf-volant and later its president.
During a kite-making workshop in Lachute, Quebec, Yves met Anne, who would become his wife. Together, they founded Vent en Fête, organizing kite festivals, demonstrations, and workshops across Quebec. They even opened a kite shop at home and flew large kites by Peter Lynn. Their adventure lasted 15 years, taking them to international festivals in Italy, France, India, New Zealand, the USA, and Colombia.
In 2001, an accident forced Yves to pause, but he returned to kite flying a few years later. Since 1999, he has been responsible for the single-line kite portion of major festivals in Milwaukee and Delavan, USA.
In Quebec, Yves continues to participate in the St-Honoré dans l’Vent festival, an event he and Anne started. At 65, his love for big kites remains strong, and he still smiles every time one of these giants takes to the sky!
Ted Shaw
Ted Shaw’s love for kite flying began in childhood, with simple paper and wood kites that often soared away to unreachable heights. His passion was reignited when a friend introduced him to two-line stunt kites, eventually progressing to four-line kites. In 1999, he joined the Great Lakes Kitefliers Society (Western New York, Buffalo-Niagara area), discovering a vibrant community of fellow enthusiasts.
Preferring single-line kites for their sociability, Ted enjoys flying at Gratwick Waterfront Park on the Niagara River in North Tonawanda twice a month and often in Canada. His favorite kites are large, soft inflatables, with his biggest kite spanning 252 square feet and featuring a hundred-foot tail. At events, he loves to engage the crowd by letting children and adults fly small kites and explaining the various types on display.
Ted honed his kite-making skills at workshops in Ontario, learning to sew kites from ripstop nylon and carbon fiber spars. He values the camaraderie of these sessions, where kite makers gather to share techniques and ideas.
While he enjoys local events, Ted also participates in large kite festivals along the East Coast, meeting flyers from around the world. Social media has expanded his network globally, connecting him with a diverse and passionate group of kite enthusiasts.
Don Brownridge
Don often says, “I will go where the wind takes me.” This philosophy not only guides his travels but also determines the kites he will fly each day. His selection ranges from hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind designs to large, whimsical inflatables, like his impressive 26-meter long octopus.
Always prepared, Don pulls from his inventory of low to high wind kites to match the day’s conditions. His journey in kite flying began in the 80s with the reformation of the Toronto Kite Fliers. Since then, he has been busy creating new kites, organizing, and participating in numerous local and international kite festivals.
Don is looking forward to the Brampton Kitefest. See you there!
…and More!
Each day of the event, a fantastic lineup of professional kite fliers will dazzle you with their unique and breathtaking creations. With a variety of kites soaring high, no two days will be the same.
Come and experience the magic in the sky—you won’t want to miss a moment!