2012 Flying Colors Kite Festival

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Help Fill the Bloomington Sky with Color!

Minneapolis, MN – On Saturday, August 18, 2012, the Minnesota Kite Society requests help from the public to fill the sky over Bloomington, MN with colors and fun shapes at their annual Flying Colors Kite Festival. The event is free and everyone is invited to bring their kites and fly with us.

The festival is from 11am – 4pm, Saturday, August 18, 2012 on the Valley View Middle School (8900 Portland Ave S, Bloomington, MN 55420) play fields located on 90th Street between Portland Ave. S. and 3rd Ave. S. in Bloomington, MN.

The event activities include a kite making workshop for the kids (while supplies last), kite competitions and games for kids and adults, stunt kite demonstrations, giant show kites and open flying for the public.

Guest kite fliers from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa will be helping to put on a great show. Larry Day and Mark Brandt from Clear Lake, Iowa will be bringing their large show kites. Coming from Wisconsin will be Ed Grys, American Kitefliers Association Regional Director, with his great kites. Also from Wisconsin, Pam & Dale Bowden are coming. The Bowdens have a great ground display and great kites. Mr. Kite, Craig Christensen from Lakeville, MN will be there with his spectacular kite creations providing music for the demonstration fields. Ron Pegg will be coming back with his stunt kites to wow the crowds.

Back from last year will be the kid's events like the glider drop where small gliders are dropped from a large kite and kids scramble to claim a glider to keep. Kids that find specially marked gliders win prizes. Also planned this year will be a candy drop and Bol races. Kids can also color and make their own kite to keep and fly for free while supplies last.

This year Gastrotruck will be there selling their exceptional food and beverages. For more information about Gastrotruck see www.gastrotruck.mobi

This year Action Fireworks and Kites will be there selling kites and accessories. Sorry, no fireworks. For more information about Action Fireworks and Kites see http://www.actionfireworks.net/

You are all welcome to bring your own kite from home too.

Join the Minnesota Kite Society for some free family fun and help fill the sky with color.

MKS members, guest fliers and volunteers are invited to come to the Green Mill Restaurant and Bar in Bloomington for dinner after the festival. You are responsible for your own tab. Address of the restaurant is:

1201 West 94th Street

Bloomington, MN 55431 map

Phone: 952-884-9898

The restaurant is located on the SW corner of 94th Street and I-35W.

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Questions? Contact Ken Wilkowski, Flying Colors Event Chairman, at cheapsheep2001@yahoo.com or 763 536-8552. Also available for questions, contact Dean Murray, MKS President, at flywithus@mnkites.org or 612 743-4593.

Minnesota Kite Society -- The Minnesota Kite Society was founded in 1985. Its purpose is to encourage and promote an active interest in kiting. The Minnesota Kite Society (MKS) is non-profit, non-discriminatory, all volunteer, and dedicated to widening the base of kite flying by providing information, assistance, and direction to interested parties. Major events sponsored by the MKS include the Lake Harriet Winter Kite Fly, the St. Paul Winter Carnival's Frosty Fingers Kite Fly, the Kiwanis Kite Fly, the Flying Colors Kite Festival, and the One Sky One World kite fly. For more information visit www.mnkites.org.

Volunteers to help with the Festival

We need volunteers to help with setting up the field and kite making at Flying Colors. If you can help please let us know.

We’re using VolunteerSpot (the leading online sign up and reminder tool) to organize our upcoming activity. Please sign up - here’s how it works in 3 easy steps:

1. Click this link to go to our invitation page on VolunteerSpot:
http://tinyurl.com/MakeKites

2. Enter your email address. (You will NOT need to register an account on VolunteerSpot.)

3. Sign Up! Choose your spots. VolunteerSpot will send you automated confirmation and reminder messages. Easy!

You can also email us at flywithus@mnkites.org to let us know you can help out. Please arrive at the field early to help setup. Field setup will start at 8am. If you are helping with the kite workshop you will receive training at 9:30am.

Event Schedule

Kid's kite making is planned for 11am - 3pm while supplies last. Kids can pick out a kite sail and design, then decorate the sail, add string and tails and go right out and fly! MKS has purchased supplies for 125 free kites to give away. They will be distributed first come first serve. Any remaining extra kite kits will be available for $3 until supplies are gone.

To make a kite in the workshop you will need to stop at our registration table and get a ticket. After the 125 free kites are gone you can purchase a ticket for $3 while supplies last. The tickets are traded in for the kite sail. Hopes are that this process will keep things flowing smoothly.

Times and activities are subject to change.

	Noon	Opening ceremony
	12:30	Sport kite demonstration
	1:00	Glider drop
	1:30	Bol races
	2:00	Kid's Grand Prix
	2:30	Sport kite demonstration
	3:00	Candy drop or Glider drop
	3:30	Bol races
	4:00	Rokkaku Kite Battle

Field Layout

What is a ...

Opening ceremony - we'll open the events on the flying field with the national anthem and some welcoming comments.

Sport kite demonstration - A sport kite, also commonly known as a stunt kite, is a kite that can be maneuvered in the air. Most common are dual-line (2 lines) and quad-line (4 lines) kites. We'll have some fliers showing their skills to the crowd.

Here is a video of iQuad putting on a demonstration in Lincoln City, OR last month that is pretty great.

Here is a video of the pairs kite team Fire and Ice (Kathy Brinnehl and Paul Koepke) performing at the Mots International Kite Festival in Milwaukee, WI. We will not have iQuad or Fire & Ice at Flying Colors but, we'll have some fun demos for the crowd.

Glider drop - This is an event for the kids. We have some small gliders that are raised into the air by a kite. Then by remote control they are dropped and fly down. The kids then chase them down. Some of the gliders have been marked. The kids that find these special marked gliders win an additional prize.

Candy drop - This is similiar to the glider drop except that instead of gliders, candy is raised up into the air by a kite and dropped down to the waiting kids. All are reminded to share so all the kids get some candy.

Here is a video of a candy drop to check out.

Bol races - These are a lot of fun. This is a race across the demonstration field while towing a Bol (small parachute). This can be for individuals or teams.

Here is a video of a Bol race for you to enjoy.

Kid's Grand Prix - This is a race where kids run across the field to a waiting kite. They need to assemble the kite and then fly it. At the end of a certain period of time the person with the highest flying kite wins.

Rokkaku Kite Battle - The Rokkaku (pronounced roke-cock-coo) is a traditional Japanese bowed kite design. A basic hexagon in shape, it features six corners, a long center spine, and two cross spars. The bridle connects at four or more points.

Western style Rokkaku "battles" are usually organized for either individuals or teams. The size of the kites is specified within certain ranges, only certain types of flying line are allowed, and flying is limited to a designated area for safety.

On a given signal, all kites are launched. Then a second signal is given and the kites "engage".

The object is to ground other kites using either your line, your kite, or the wind. Once your kite is cut or touches the ground for any reason, you are out. Last kite in the air wins.

Here is a video of a Rok Battle in action