TULSA, Okla. – A nightly sunset tradition on Tulsa’s pedestrian bridge is now prompting questions about whether it violates city ordinances.
River Parks officials say the issue is not about stopping people from flying kites, but about how the kites are being attached to the bridge. The longtime kite flyer behind the displays says he’s hoping for a compromise that allows the tradition to continue.
What is happening on the pedestrian bridge?
For nearly two years, Andrew Hardtner has flown large kites on the Williams Pedestrian Bridge, creating what many visitors describe as a sunset kite show.
Hardtner says he has been flying kites for years at The Gathering Place and moved to the bridge after it opened in 2024. He says the displays regularly draw people who stop to watch, take photos and talk with one another.
Why is this an issue now?
Hardtner says he was recently contacted by River Parks Authority Director Jeff Edwards, who told him the way the kites are tied off violates a city ordinance…