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LET'S GO FLY A KITE - The ninth annual Mile High Kite Festival will be held Sunday, Sept. 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the town meadow atop Beech Mountain. Ample room is available for everyone to fly, plus there's a reserved field for demonstrations from the Wings Across Carolina Kiting and Okra Society (WACKOS) and the Richmond Air Force club from Richmond, Va. Other activities include races with kids pulling parachute kites, face painting, and a variety of craft and food vendors. Admission is free, and the first 300 children under age 12 receive a free kite.Volunteers will be on hand with materials to help decorate the free kites, while vendors will have kites for sale. For more information or lodging options, call (800) 468-5506, or visit www.BeechMtn.com.