TARGET FREE FAMILY DAY, 'UP, UP AND AWAY!' SET FOR SATURDAY, MAY 10

The popular Target Free Family Saturday program series continues at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo with "Up, Up and Away!" featuring kite-making demonstrations and workshops for families and a kite contest on Saturday, May 10, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This day of hands-on fun is free to the public and generously sponsored by Target, with four more programs scheduled for the rest of 2008.

"Up, Up and Away!" is highlighted by several workshops led by kite enthusiast Kelvin Chun, who is also an award-winning educator, magician and balloon sculptor. Chun is a technology specialist at Nu’uanu Elementary School in Honolulu, Hawai`i, and has provided demonstrations and workshops for conventions and conferences. Chun will share a historic perspective on kites with a workshop at 12 noon as he explains the history of kites, describes kites from around the world and then looks at Asian American kites.

At 2 p.m., Chun will conduct a workshop that examines differences between paper and plastic kites. Chun will then teach participants how to make a kite out of the substance of their choice. He will then lead a workshop and demonstration at 3:30 p.m. on the flying of Asian American kites and will provide hands-on experiences for participants on how to fly kites that each has created at the workshop. For more information on Kelvin Chun, go to his web site at http://KelvinChun.com.

To add to the festivities, educator Mar Elepano will read the story, “Henry and the Kite Dragon” at 1 p.m. Besides the workshops and story time reading, the program features activities such as learning to make a wind wheel, swan and fish kite out of paper, using the Japanese technique of paper folding or origami.

To mark Mother’s Day, participants will have the opportunity to make a special craft piece for their mothers. The whole day will culminate at 3:45 p.m. with a kite contest.

Upcoming Target Free Family Saturday programs at the Japanese American National Museum are scheduled for July 12 (Cooking Capers); September 13 (A Whale of a Tale-folk tales); November 8 (Brilliant Beats-drumming); and December 13 (Artfully Yours).

For more information on this program, contact the Japanese American National Museum at (213) 625-0414 or go to www.janm.org.