ANTELOPE ISLAND — Mother Nature is being given more leeway when it comes to weather and the Antelope Island Balloon Stampede.

In fact, this year, kites of all sizes and descriptions are being added to the annual Davis Chamber of Commerce-sponsored event. In fact, kites are officially part of the name for this year’s event – which runs two weeks earlier, Sept. 4-6.

“There are two things that are really big,” says Vaughn Jacobsen, event chair. “We’ve changed it to Labor Day weekend, which is a big deal. It’s a holiday weekend,” offering another weekend option for residents and visitors alike, he says.

Activities will run Friday, Sept. 4, from 5-10 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 5, and 6, from 7 a.m.-10 p.m. About 10,000 people are expected for what is becoming one of the county’s largest annual events of its kind.

“The change of weekend should help ensure excellent weather. And then, we’ve also added the kites,” he said.

“The kite component will ensure that no matter what the weather is, we’ll be able to have an excellent show for all attendees.

“The kites we’re talking about are phenomenal. These kites, some of them are 90 feet tall. These are kites Utah has never seen before,” Jacobsen emphasized, with some of them taking the shape of animals, others of cars, etc.

Several professional kite flyers will be on hand to perform as a part of the event.

Adding the kites allows for balloons to be launched in the mornings and evenings, weather permitting, said event committee member and Davis Convention & Visitors Bureau CEO Barbara Riddle.

With bad weather hitting the event in previous years, adding another dimension will broaden its appeal and provide an option for activities to go on no matter what the weather conditions, both Jacobsen and Riddle agree.

“There will be professional kite flyers from Texas, California and Utah,” among others, Riddle said, calling the addition of the extraordinary kites a “wow!”

Admission will be $10 per carload, which is paid at the Antelope Island State Park gate. There is no event admission.

Myriad other events will also take place during all three days of the stampede.

Ron Taylor, who manages the state park, will speak about”island trivia” both Saturday and Sunday, while Davis County birder and naturalist/author Bill Fenimore leads a bird walk.

There will also be a kite-building class both Saturday and Sunday. In addition, kites can be rented for flying or attendees can bring their own.

Kids and adults can also try their hand at kite harness races, with kids and adult size kites fitted to individual size and height.