(Arnolds Park)– Go fly a kite. That’s what some people will be doing again this year at the University of Okoboji Winter Games.
The kite flying event got it’s start at last year’s Winter Games, and one of the organizers, Jim Hussong of Kozy Heat, says it will be even bigger and better this year. He says kites from various parts of the world will be coming in…
“We have some kite flyers that are coming from Kuwait and Australia, I believe, and they’re just bringing some world class kites that are huge. One, I believe, is going to be the biggest American flag kite that is out there.”
Hussong says they decided to bring the kite flying event back this year based on the popularity they had last year. He says there will be about twice as many kites this year…
“Well actually it started with Steve Boote from Sioux Falls. He’s a kite enthusiast and he had seen a kite festival over at Clear Lake before and thought that it would be a great way to bring kid-friendly type things to the Winter Games and have it, you know, something that’s more family-oriented to the lakes and so he made some calls and got some people in and teamed up with me and a few others and so we’re bringing it in and try to have just a good old fun thing to view while you’re at the Winter Games.”
Hussong adds they’re adding some additional activities this year for this year’s kite flying event…
“We are actually going to have paper kites for the kids to color and they can fly their own kites. They can come in and have some hot cocoa. We’re planning on doing that in the Pavilion. They can color some kites and then bring them out to fly. There’s going to be an ice bar that we’re going to put together that is going to be down in that same area.”
The kites will be flying on West Lake Okoboji near the Queen Two dock in front of the Arnolds Park Amusement Park. Marketing Director Paul Plumb says they’re excited to host the event a second year…
“We’re very excited to have them back. Last year it was a big hit with the public, just really fun to walk down to Preservation Plaza there and see all those kites flying over West Lake Okoboji. It really makes an impact and from what I hear they’re going to have double the kites from what they had last year even, or more. So a really fun event, a really neat addition to what we have going on at the park and Winter Games in general.”
The kites will be flying, wind conditions permitting, Saturday, January 25th from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm.
