MEDIA RELEASE
23 September 2005

Guinness Book of Records comes to Palmerston North

Calling all Manawatu kite flyers – we need you and your kite at Coronation Park on Saturday 15 October to help set a new Guinness World Record for the most kites flown simultaneously.

The world record attempt is one of a number of fun activities being held on Friday 14 and Saturday 15 October as part of the inaugural Airstream Festival.

The brainchild of Palmerston North City Council, Airstream is a celebration of one of the region’s strongest natural assets – the wind. Other activities organised over the two days include a celebrity debate, a symposium on sustainable energy, a skydiving display and a special screening of Gone with the Wind at the Regent Theatre.

Event organiser Melanie Walker says that to break the Guinness World Record for the most kites flown at the same time, 675 kites need to be flown at Coronation Park and be airborne for at least 30 seconds.

“We want to invite all kite lovers – big and small – along to help us make history. It’s going to be a real challenge and a lot of fun.

“We need as many people as possible to get involved – it doesn’t matter what kind of kite you have, or how big it is, or what it’s made out of – just so long as it can fly for at least 30 seconds!”

Event organisers Avenues Event Management have written to Manawatu schools inviting them to take part and enclosing instructions for making a kite out of recycled materials.

“We hope they’ll make a class project out of it, and use the exercise to look at wind as a resource – not just for leisure but for sustainable living too,”says Melanie.

The world record attempt will be held between 4pm and 5pm, and anyone interested in taking part needs to get there at 4pm to sign the official form to ensure the record attempt is considered valid.

“All we need to put Palmerston North in the Guinness Book of Records is as many kites as possible and a big dose of that famous Manawatu breeze. Even if you don’t have a kite, come along and watch what will be a very colourful spectacle.”

ENDS

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