(Arnolds Park)– A University of Okoboji Winter Games event that’s seen an explosion in popularity is coming back this year with a bit of a twist. Steve Boote organizes the large kite flying event. He tells KUOO news those kites will actually by lighting the sky over Arnolds Park and Smith’s Bay…
“The LED technology has gotten to the point where they’re adding them to kites. It’s been going on for a little while and it’s gaining in popularity. It seems like you see more and more of them at every event. So a lot of the flyers that are coming wanted to bring their lighted kites and I said yeah, let’s do it. It’s going to be fun.”
Boote says the lighted kites will be flying Saturday evening of Winter Games…
“We’ll time it just before sundown and if the wind’s out of the right direction we’ll go all the way through the fireworks and the burning of the greens and keep them up there as long as we can.”
Boote, who’s a kite flyer himself, says the concept of lighted kites is new even to him…
“I personally don’t own any so I’ll probably catch the bug this year and have to invest in a few myself.”
Boote adds the feedback he’s been getting from kite owners who plan to come to the Iowa Great Lakes this year for Winter Games is off the charts…
“I can’t even comprehend how many more people are going to be here than last year from the activity we’re seeing from our side of the fence, so. And of course the park with their beautiful renovations all completed, so they can handle a lot more crowd and people as well as the Chamber are doing a lot more things at the park which was the intent when we all got into this five years ago.”
Boote says depending upon wind conditions, they may also put some kites up Friday evening of Winter Games weekend.
