Color the Sky: Austintown Kite Festival (Article & Poem)

by Michael Crouse (AVA Drone Services LLC)

The sky above Austintown is about to turn into something magical—kites and bubbles, drift high over Austintown Park, (4/26/26), turning the horizon into a moving picture of motion and color.

On this special day, families, friends, and kids of all ages gather in an open field where the wind dances freely. But this isn’t just any day—it’s the Austintown Kite Festival, where the sky becomes a giant canvas, and every kite is a splash of color—and on the ground, it feels like a full-on tailgating celebration, with coolers, lawn chairs, and laughter set up in every direction.

As the breeze begins to blow, children run with big smiles, holding tightly to their kite strings—laughing, chasing fluttering kite tails, and zigzagging across the grass with endless energy. Up, up, up they go! Bright reds, sunny yellows, cool blues, and rainbow patterns stretch across the sky. Some kites look like dragons, unicorns, others like butterflies, and some even sparkle in the sunlight with smiley faces—while a few proud parents (and determined dads) jog along, catching their breath as they work to get those kites finally aloft.

Laughter fills the air. Parents cheer. Friends race to see whose kite can fly the highest. It’s not about winning—it’s about the joy of watching something you hold rise into the sky—a moment shared by families, neighbors, and even the friendly faces of Austintown’s community police and fire & rescue teams, who are there not just for safety, but as part of the celebration itself.

There are games, music, snacks, and plenty of room to run—from bubble stations sending shimmering spheres into the air to picnic-style setups that make the whole park feel like one big neighborhood party.

But the best part? Looking up and seeing the sky come alive with color and imagination—a place where kites dance and bubbles drift across the fields.

For a moment, everyone feels like an artist… and the sky is their masterpiece.

“Color the Sky”

by Michael Crouse

We run through fields so fresh and wide,

With kites and dreams right by our side.

The wind begins its gentle song,

And lifts our kites and pulls along.

A string in hand, we laugh and cheer,

As colors rise and disappear.

Then suddenly—there they all fly,

Painting pictures in the sky.

Red and blue and yellow bright,

Dancing softly in the light.

A dragon swoops, a bird glides high,

A rainbow stretches way up high.

We chase the bubbles, light and clear,

That float and shimmer far and near.

We jump and reach with hands held high,

As tiny rainbows drift on by.

Giggles float just like our kites,

On breezy days and sunny sights.

No worries here, just fun and play,

As all our cares just drift away.

We fill the sky with colors bold,

Like stories bright and dreams untold.

As daylight fades and breezes sigh,

We smile beneath our painted sky.