Amateurs and some real kite enthsusiasts had their kites big and small take flight over Lake Harriet. (KYNDELL HARKNESS)

The annual Winter Kite Festival on Lake Harriet has been cancelled due to warmer-than-normal temperatures.

The popular, kid-friendly event was scheduled for Jan. 16. But the Park Board evaluated ice on Wednesday and deemed it unsafe, according to an e-mail from the East Harriet Farmstead Neighborhood Association.

The neighborhood group said it was decided earlier this year that there would not be a backup date for the event.

The warm weather is having other impacts on Minneapolis lakes. The Chain of Lakes froze over unusually late this year, and Lake of the Isles ice skating therefore won't upen until sometime next week due to unsafe ice conditions.