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Color the Wind 2014 It was
frigid and the snow was heavy, but serious kitefliers from seven states were determined to put on a show! They drove
onto the ice covered lake, drug out their bags of kites and bravely fought the elements to make those kites fly! It
was snowing so hard that some kites actually filled up with snow and had to be brought back down to be emptied. There were numerous kites that were new to Color the Wind.....the gigantic blue whale, the galloping horse,
the indescribable ocean wave bol, the huge guitar streaming musical notes through the air and many more. And in the
midst of all this, both stunt kite teams, 180GO and Fire and Ice, gamely presented their choreographed kite ballets throughout
the day. As the day wore on, the snow let up and there were hundreds of kites of all shapes and sizes in the air, making
for a tremendous show.
Larry and I want to thank all who braved the snowstorm
to put on a great show: Those who worked hard to scoop out paths to make it possible to get onto the lake, marked out
the flying fields, and those who drilled anchor holes for kites and ground displays, the safety team, all of whom provided
great support for those who were flying kites. We also want to thank the crew that staffed the Lakeview Room to provide
information and help to visitors and Dave and Twila Okerlund for hosting the guest kitefliers for pizza after the event.
We are SO thankful for all the wonderful, hard working people who made this event a success again!
Ann and Tony Killip's 60' Blue Whale
kite launched easily the morning of Color the Wind and flew steadily all day. When the snow was the heaviest, he looked
like he was swimming toward us through a fog bank! a better view was afforded us during the afternoon when the snowstorm
let up. Steve Nicol
introduced us to his Tiger kite for the first time this year. A great addition to the Color the Wind menagerie!
This is another photo that helps to give you an idea of how big our kites are when you compare them to the vehicles parked
below them .
I'm not sure what the proper name is for this beautiful piece and
so I simply call it "the Ocean Wave Bol". It is so intricate with so many parts to it that it's hard to describe!
The Bol is complimented by matching accessory pieces. Unfortunately, the matching drogue became detached and flew into
a tree along Lakeview Dr. It disappeared during the night of the festival and we have not yet recovered it and are asking
everyone to watch for it and to return it to us so we can make Jeff's set complete again.UPDATE: The drogue was rescued
from the kite eating tree and delivered to Larry. It's now back in the owner's hands. Many thanks to Steve Finer!
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| Ed Grys' galloping horse kite |
One of the most commented on kites this year
was Ed Grys' galloping horse kite. Ed has displayed this kite at Color the Wind before, but only for a short time because
of low wind conditions. This is an amazingly well designed kite, which has resulted in lifelike movement in the wind.
The colors Ed chose for the horse give it an almost magical appearance. Love the horse!
Iowa Public Television (IPTV) came to Clear
Lake to film Color the Wind. Chris Gourley and his crew braved the weather all day to capture the essence of the day.
Their coverage of the kite festival will air on IPTV in December 2014. Be sure to watch for i!
Color the Wind is a non-profit organization
started by Larry and Kay Day. It's purpose is to provide free family entertainment and bring smiles to the faces of
kids of all ages. The event is made possible only by your generous contributions and those of local civic
groups and businesses. Please thank the following for making Color the Wind possible in 2014: Clear Lake Bank & Trust Clear Lake Telephone Co. Farmers' State Bank Larson's Mercantile Manufacturers
Bank and Trust Starboard Market The Other Place VFW Clear Lake Rotary Club Clear Lake Evening Lions Clear
Lake Noon Lions Dr. Rob Gross Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce City of Clear Lake
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