Excitement in the air at Berkeley Kite Festival

Kite flying soared high as a solo or team sport, as a ballet, as an artistic pursuit, and also as a family activity at the Berkeley Kite Festival on Sunday, which drew more than 35,000 to the Berkeley Marina over the weekend.

Carol and Cass Pittman of San Diego have elevated their competitive kiting to a performance art, elegantly choreographing the swoops and drops of their steerable multi-line sports kites to the stirring strains of “Feeling Good,” the song made classic by singer Nina Simone.

Left to right, Tako Age members, Ken Takeda, Yuji Goto, Kazuya Gojo and Sridhr Ramakrishnan build a traditional Japanese kite during the annual Kite Festival in Berkeley, Calif. on Sunday, July 31, 2016. The festival attracted scores of people with intricate kites. less Left to right, Tako Age members, Ken Takeda, Yuji Goto, Kazuya Gojo and Sridhr Ramakrishnan build a traditional Japanese kite during the annual Kite Festival in Berkeley, Calif. on Sunday, July 31, 2016. The ... more Photo: James Tensuan, Special To The Chronicle Photo: James Tensuan, Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close Excitement in the air at Berkeley Kite Festival 1 / 20 Back to Gallery

The retired couple starting competing about four years ago, enjoying the physicality of the sport as well as the art of crafting and performing routines to music. “If you’ve ever seen us play golf, you’ll know why we do kiting,” said Cass Pittman, 63, as the pair wrapped up their performance Sunday.

But — like most kite fliers, competitive or not — they say they do it for the joy. “It’s the first thing I’ve done that’s made me feel like a 6-year-old again,” he said.

When Tom McAlister founded the Berkeley Kite Festival more than 30 years ago, it drew about 500 people to a 12-acre portion of the marina. Thousands of kites now fly over 90 bayside acres for the event, considered the largest urban kite festival in North America.

McAlister, owner of Highline Kites and a member of the Berkeley Kite Wranglers, said he wanted to share with people the artistry and excitement of kite flying.

“We want to show people you can get outside and look up and see the world in a new, exiting way,” he said. “We spend most of our time looking at the horizon or looking down at work.”

McAlister said highlights of the festival include the more than 3,000 free kites donated to kids by festival sponsor Hills Physicians and the candy drop, in which more than 500 pounds of candy are dropped from kites over the two days. This year’s festival also featured traditional kites from Hamamatsu, Japan, made from rice and bamboo.

While the sun didn’t start to peek out over the water until Sunday afternoon, most festival goers didn’t seem to mind and said the winds were strong enough to do their job.

It was the first time visiting the festival for Matt Tanouye, 37, of San Leandro, who brought his 3-year-old nephew and was helping him fly a panda kite. “It’s fantastic,” he said. “We’ve always heard about it but have never made the trip out here.”

Glenn Mitchell, 67, of Coalinga (Fresno County), discovered indoor kite flying as a supplement to weight training after he retired from teaching high school biology after 36 years.

The sport didn’t look too taxing as he monitored his 85-foot-long show kite with two black witches attached — a type of inflated kite known as “line laundry.” But Mitchell, who regularly attends kite festivals, said staking the kites and controlling them in the wind makes kiting physical.

“It’s deceptive. It reminds me of someone playing the harp,” he said. “You don’t see under the gown what they’re doing with the pedals.”

Kite enthusiasts say it’s not unusual for kite fliers to own more than 100 kites. Some can cost up to $4,000.

Mike North of Concord, also a member of the Berkeley Kite Wranglers, was flying one of those high-end kites, a 90-foot octopus held in place by a line that can hold up to 2,400 pounds.

North said flying powerful kites comes with some risks. Kite expert Steve Edeiken of Los Angeles plunged 100 feet to his death in 1983 after he got caught in the line of his 115-by-250-foot kite. He was 30.

But such tragedies are rare, while the benefits are great. “It’s fun to do something that puts a smile on people’s faces,” North said. “When I see that, my job is done.”

Victoria Colliver is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vcolliver@sfchronicle.com Twitter; @vcolliver