Metropolitan Community College’s annual Flights of Fancy Mega-Kite Festival will be held noon-5 p.m. Sunday, April 21, at MCC-Longview, 500 S.W. Longview Road, Lee’s Summit.

This free, family-friendly event featuring the kites of Great American Kites & Events is a perfect way to celebrate National Kite Month. Flights of Fancy has been an (almost) annual tradition at MCC-Longview since 2006.

Sean Beaver with Great American Kites & Events said attendees can expect to be enchanted by the sight of mega-kites, power kites, stunt kites and more, including a 600-pound American-flag-themed kite and a gargantuan, spinning windsock measuring nearly three stories high and 200 feet long.

Beaver said returning attendees can expect to see some old favorites, like Clifford the Big Red Dog and a menagerie of animal and aquatic creatures, as well as “some surprises never flown at the event in the past.”

Participants will also have the opportunity to enjoy two inflatable obstacle courses, a soccer shootout game, face painting, interactive children’s activities, and a wide variety of refreshments for purchase from nearly a dozen food trucks. Attendees can bring their own kites to fly, or buy kites on site while supplies last.

Guests are welcome to bring blankets, chairs, coolers and picnic lunches. Alcohol, smoking and glass containers are prohibited on campus.

Support from the presenting sponsor, Saint Luke’s East Hospital, and other sponsors helps MCC keep the festival free for the community. Sponsor donations also enable MCC to apply additional proceeds from the kite festival toward student scholarships.

The kite festival started in 2006 when former MCC-Longview President Fred Grogan had a vision to invite the community to Longview to fly kites and enjoy the beautiful, wide-open green space on the northeast corner of campus. The event was canceled due to bad weather one year early on and was sidelined by the pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

Flights of Fancy will go on rain or shine; however, in the case of severe weather where thunder and lightning are present, the festival will be canceled. For more information, visit mcckc.edu/kitefest or facebook.com/MCCflightsoffancy.