Another nearly forgotten tradition returned to Watertown this past weekend.
Kite Day was held Saturday after an absence of many years. It was held in the 1970s but was discontinued based on concerns about alcohol consumption. Chilly temperatures greeted participants in Thompson Park at this year’s event, but that didn’t detract from the fun they had flying their colorful kites.
This is the second time in the past half-year that a beloved tradition has been resurrected. The city’s Parks and Recreation Department relaunched Snowtown USA, a winter festival featuring many outdoor activities at the Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds.
Local radio station WOTT used to be a major sponsor of the annual Kite Day, which drew thousands of people for a day of music, kite-flying and … well, whatever. Kevin R. Keefe, station manager of Community Broadcasters, approached Parks and Recreation Superintendent Erin E. Gardner last year about reviving the event.
It may not have attracted the numbers it did in its heyday, but that doesn’t matter. A wonderful day of family fun has returned, and the city is a richer place as a result.
These are the kinds of events that make communities like Watertown desirable places to raise families. Snowtown USA came back because people who grew up here as children remember what a great time they had and wanted to expose their children to such an experience.
Kite Day is sure to endear itself in another generation of Watertown residents in the years ahead. City officials, organizers, sponsors, participants and supporters all deserve our thanks for adding yet another local activity to our to-do list.
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