in 2018<\/a> by a company funded by former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, were built, as it would take passengers over the park on its way to Dodger Stadium.<\/p>\nOver the years, the festival has evolved into a celebration of the artistry of kite-making, although Clockshop still views it as a \u201cjoyful protest\u201d that brings communities together on public lands, Yank said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a sense of freedom in connecting yourself to the ground and the air and with the wind,\u201d Yank said. \u201cYou\u2019re working in concert with nature to get this kite off the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the spirit that my colleagues and I had when we started this process. <\/p>\n
The staff at Clockshop gave us a few kite designs they suggested we consider. Then Faith Stafford, a senior deputy design director, worked diligently to re-create one design out of newspaper. And because we\u2019re journalists, we tested it since printing thousands of copies of a design that doesn\u2019t work would require a historic and embarrassing correction none of us would fully recover from. <\/p>\n
I procured kitchen twine from The Times\u2019 Kitchen manager Luciana Momesso, and three of us \u2014 Stafford, deputy features editor Marques Harper and I \u2014 headed to The Times\u2019 parking garage at our El Segundo office. <\/p>\n
At the top of the garage, we asked one another: \u201cDo you know how to fly a kite?\u201d It was immediately clear we\u2019d focused intensely on every detail of our kite-making process but that.<\/p>\n
We wandered around the parking lot until we found the breeziest spot, although I was also Googling \u201cHow to fly a kite successfully.\u201d Stafford bravely let our first newspaper prototype go, and there was a collective sigh of relief and joyous exclamation when our kite flew. <\/p>\n
At the annual kite festival, The Times will have a booth where you can talk with us about our kite and snag a copy of the Weekend section that includes the kite design (while supplies last). <\/p>\n
I am so eager to see our newspaper used in a tactical, whimsical way \u2014 a reuse option that\u2019s been there all along. <\/p>\n
How to build the L.A. Times kite (newspaper version)Materials needed<\/p>\n
\n- One May 3 edition of the L.A. Times\u2019 Weekend section<\/li>\n
- Two 17\u00bc-inch bamboo spars, commonly found at grocery or gardening stores* (see notes)<\/li>\n
- Kite line made of kitchen twine** and a winder***<\/li>\n
- Scissors<\/li>\n
- Transparent tape<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
1. Using your cellphone, take photos of the newspaper kite design on the L1 cover and on pages L6-7 and L10 before you start cutting so you have a reference point.<\/p>\n
2. Now you\u2019re ready to build our kite. First, leaving them in one large piece, cut out the trapezoid-shaped kite sail and the two thin triangles on these pages.<\/p>\n
3. Cut out the trapezoidal vent in the middle of the sail, as indicated, and discard.<\/p>\n
4. If you correctly followed Step 2 and left the kite sail and two triangles together in one large piece, skip to Step 6. If you mistakenly cut the triangles from the sail, follow this step: Tape the two triangular sections to the bottom of the sail, taping the base of the triangles (non-pointy ends) to the sail on both sides. You want the straight side of each triangle to face outward while both triangles\u2019 angled sides face inward toward each other. (See images from your phone for reference.)<\/p>\n
5. Now you\u2019re ready to cut out and connect the strips to make the kite tail:<\/p>\n
\n- Using the arrows as your guide, cut the portion below into six long strips. Make note of the letters on each end. <\/li>\n
- Applying tape to both sides, tape A to A, B to B, C to C, etc., then tape all the strips until you have one long strip that starts and ends on yellow like the line below. The colors will match at each seam as the diagram below shows.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1777805897_808_.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
6. On the undecorated back side of the sail, tape the spars in place, as shown below.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1777805898_508_.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
7. Get the tail pieces you cut and assembled during Step 5. You will tape each end of the tail to where it matches the width of the triangular sections to make a connected long loop. <\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1777805898_343_.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
8. Turn the kite over so the front (decorated) side faces up. Tie your kite line securely around the spars, where they cross in the middle of the vent. Use two overhand (shoelace-style) knots.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1777805899_249_.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
9. If using a homemade winder,*** consider gluing or taping the string to the winder so that your string stays connected if you happen to use all of your string to fly the kite.<\/p>\n
Notes:<\/p>\n
* We tested our kite with bamboo spars, but if you don\u2019t have those around your home, you could also try taping wooden coffee stirrers or other thin, lightweight wooden objects \u2014 although bamboo chopsticks might be too heavy. Some kitemakers have success with straws, but straws typically work better with diamond-shaped kites. A final option would be old wire hangers, but that could require a longer tail.<\/p>\n
** We used kitchen twine, but other options are crochet thread as long as it isn\u2019t too thick, or fishing line, although it can be difficult to see and tangles easily. You can also find string options at your local craft store. You want to have between 50 to 100 feet of string for the kite.<\/p>\n
*** We tested our kite without a winder, but you can make one out of many household objects, including an empty toilet paper roll, a small, sturdy piece of cardboard or anything else around your home that will help you keep from tangling your line.<\/p>\n
How to build the L.A. Times kite (digital version)Materials needed<\/p>\n
\n- One L.A. Times kite pattern printed on two 11-by-17-inch sheets of 20- to 24-pound paper* see notes <\/li>\n
- Two 17\u00bc-inch bamboo spars, commonly found at grocery or gardening stores** (see notes)<\/li>\n
- Kite line made of kitchen twine** and a winder***<\/li>\n
- Scissors<\/li>\n
- Transparent tape<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
1. Print the pattern, ensuring the design is set to print on 11-by-17-inch (tabloid) size paper at 100% to scale. The design might not print correctly if your printer settings are set to \u201cfit to page,\u201d \u201cfit to paper\u201d or \u201cfit to printable area.\u201d <\/p>\n
2. Cut out the trapezoid shape (your kite\u2019s sail) on page 1 and the two triangular segments on the right and left side of the trapezoid shape. <\/p>\n
3. Tape the two triangular sections to the bottom of the sail, taping the base of the triangles (non-pointy ends) to the sail on both sides. You want the straight side of each triangle to face outward while both triangles\u2019 angled sides face inward toward each other (see below).<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1777805900_788_.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
4. Cut the white space out of the middle of the trapezoid. This will be your kite\u2019s vent. You don\u2019t need this small white piece for your kite.<\/p>\n
5. Now you\u2019re ready to cut out and connect the strips (page 2) to make the kite tail:<\/p>\n
\n- Using the arrows as your guide, cut the portion below into six long strips. Make note of the letters on each end.<\/li>\n
- Applying tape to both sides, tape A to A, B to B, C to C, etc., then tape all the strips until you have one long strip that starts and ends on yellow like the line below. The colors will match at each seam as the diagram below shows.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n
6. On the undecorated back side of the sail, tape the spars in place, as shown below.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1777805901_585_.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
7. Get the tail pieces you cut and assembled during Step 5. You will tape each end of the tail to where it matches the width of the triangular sections to make a connected long loop.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
8. Turn the kite over so the front (decorated) side faces up. Tie your kite line securely around the spars, where they cross in the middle of the vent. Use two overhand (shoelace-style) knots.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
9. If using a homemade winder,*** consider gluing or taping the string to the winder so that your string stays connected if you happen to use all of your string to fly the kite.<\/p>\n
10. Go have fun!<\/p>\n
Notes:<\/p>\n
* We recommend printing your design on an 11-by-17-inch, 20- or 24-pound piece of durable paper, like bond paper. <\/p>\n
** We tested our kite with bamboo spars, but if you don\u2019t have those around your home, you could also try taping wooden coffee stirrers or other thin, lightweight wooden objects \u2014 although bamboo chopsticks might be too heavy. Some kitemakers have success with straws, but straws typically work better with diamond-shaped kites.<\/p>\n
*** We used kitchen twine, but other options are crochet thread as long as it isn\u2019t too thick, or fishing line, although it can be difficult to see and tangles easily. You can also find string options at your local craft store. You want to have around 50 feet of string for the kite.<\/p>\n
**** We tested our kite without a winder, but you can make one out of many household objects, including an empty toilet paper roll, a small, sturdy piece of cardboard or anything else around your home that will help you keep from tangling your line.<\/p>\n
Sources: The Drachen Foundation<\/a>; Tr\u00e9panier Trapezoid kite design<\/a> by Qu\u00e9bec-based artist Robert Tr\u00e9panier<\/a> <\/p>\n