Color the Wind '08/09

"Color the Wind" 2008-- WOW!
The weather couldn't have been better-- almost 30 degrees, sunshine and winds that were perfect for flying kites! Nearly 6,000 people are estimated to have come to Clear Lake, Iowa to view this colorful spectacle. Serious kite flyers from 8 states traveled to Iowa to fly their huge show kites and entertain the crowd.
Gregg Bacon had created paths through the flying field on the frozen lake, which enabled everyone to stroll through and under the colorful displays to get the true sense of the size of many different "creatures" in the air.
Inside the Lakeview Room, many watched the display through the wall of windows and enjoyed Tom Cross's historical display of kite related items . Clear Lake Bank & Trust, as our major sponsor, gave away 150 kites very quickly at the beginning of the day.
Fire 'n Ice, the kite flying duo of Kathy Brinnehl and Paul Koepke entertained the crowds with their beautiful kite ballets set to music.
We want to thank everyone who contributed to Color the Wind. We couldn't have done this without your contributions and our wonderful volunteers!
Contact Larry & Kay Day at (641)-357-5516 or email us at: kiteman@netins.net

Color the Wind 2009 brought strong, gusty winds and blowing snow. Open water at the downtown seawall necessitated relocation of the event to McIntosh Woods State Park at the West end of the lake near Ventura.
Hundreds of huge show kites had to be left in their bags or risk mutilation by the winds, but the kite flyers (who had driven from 8 states) were determined to put on a show. The parking lots were filled all day and everyone had lots of fun in spite of the weather.

Color the Wind 2009

The big alligator was a new piece introduced to Color the Wind in 2008.

Mike Gee from Jamestown, ND kept the 25' Crown Bols up and spinning all day at the 2008 festival. Their spinning motion is mesmerizing!

Children absolutely love laying on the ground under the big red "spiky balls" to let them rollover and bounce on them. Don Murphy from Omaha, Nebraska brings to the festival and is super about helping the kids and making sure they stay safe while having lots of fun.

The photos on this page are just a small sampling of the kites and ground displays that made the day so colorful and enjoyable at Color the Wind. Be sure to come and see for yourself in 2010 !