MILWAUKEE— Gift of Wings kite shop owner Scott Fisher says when it comes to New Years Day in Milwaukee, there are only two choices people can do outside.
“There are two things to do on New Years Day. You can either jump in the lake, or you can go fly a kite,” said Fisher.
Fisher says January 1st 2025 will be the 38th year of the annual New Years Day Kite Festival at Veterans Park.
In the past the festival has seen between 2,000 to 3,000 people show up to fly their own kites in the sky.
The origins of the event according to Fisher was a happy accident.
“It was before New Years Day and we had just opened our first year down at the lakefront,” said Fisher. “One of the kite club members casually suggested of flying kites on New Years Day. I said ‘why not?’ and the rest is history.”
Fisher says that the festival on New Year’s will have giant kites flown by professionals and pro-ice sculptures creating art all throughout the day.
Fisher encourages residents to bring their kites to the lakefront to have a fun time and says there will be free snacks and hot chocolate for people that attend.
“When you sit in a park selling kites for as long as I have, you really get to appreciate that the people like what you do,” said Fisher “The free hot chocolate and snacks is our way of saying thank you to the community.”
