The Bay Area Sundowners were founded in March 1980 at San Francisco’s Marina Green by Mix McGraw (“Ace”) and Wayne Peterson (“Kamikaze”), two flyers whose partnership helped shape the early culture of American stunt‑kite flying. Mix McGraw was already an experienced precision flyer, known for his control, discipline, and the striking visual presence of his stacked Rainbow kites. Wayne Peterson discovered Mix flying during a lunch break near their workplace on Beach Street in San Francisco. Captivated by the performance, Wayne asked Mix to teach him—and that moment became the spark that launched the Sundowners. Together, McGraw and Peterson developed a distinctive flying style built on synchronization, large multi‑kite stacks, and long flowing tails. Their routines quickly drew crowds at Marina Green and helped establish the Sundowners as one of the earliest and most influential stunt‑kite teams in the United States. Their collaboration laid the foundation for a team that would go on to inspire flyers worldwide and become a lasting part of Bay Area kite‑flying history.