Perry Farm

[Frodos Majik]

Sorry that I have not chimed in, but I have read ALL the posting and would not want to with what some one else had said. Yes we need to do something to keep the fest at Perry Farms alive and kicking!!

Chris is right about the RC fields when flier-ship is down/dies the few that stay will grab the ball and run it the way they want, or the field gets closed up. We dont want that to happen here, so we need to do what ever it takes to KEEP it ALIVE!

Myself, I am not into the competition end of it, but it is a part of kiting. Someone seeing it may spark an interest in it. If my memory serves me right, I believe Chris's interest was peaked in the beginning, after viewing it. Right Chris? But for most of the crowds coming out to ANY fest it let the kites they have or buy from a vendor to reach the skies! Some watch the comp. and demos for awhile but then go fly their own stuff and or walk away.

Bottom line we NEED to save the fest anyway possible for ALL!!

[Invis]

Hi Denny,

Just to let you know, 10 am works great for tomorrow. I will have some drinks and snacks. Also, I would like to do it here at the Rec Station since this is where our office is and it will be free day at the museum, so there will be no where for us to meet there.
We are located at 770 E. Franklin in Bradley the name of your building is The Recreation Station and out logo is a large blue kite (how fitting).
We are exactly one block west of Rt 50 and about 4 blocks south of North Street.
You know where it is don't you?
You might be able to give them more specific directions since you know where they are coming from. I would be more than happy to give them directions, myself, I am just really bad at it. So if they need to, they can call me.
Hope all of this makes sense. Call me if you need anything.
thanks for all of your help!
Sarah

Sarah C. Winkel, PPRP
Recreation Supervisor
Bourbonnais Township Park District
770 E. Franklin St.
Bradley, IL 60915
Phone: (815) 933-9905 ext. 232
Fax: (815) 935-2645
www.btpd.org

[Draftnik]

Well?? How'd it go?

(Maybe it's non of my business and in that case, I'll happily bugger off. )

[Invis]

What are your feelings about June 9-10 for the Perry Farm Kite Fest? It's one of the few dates available.

[Invis]

Well?? How'd it go?

(Maybe it's non of my business and in that case, I'll happily bugger off. )

As part of this club it IS your business!
Ideas were exchanged. Dates were in question. We KNOW one thing. The current date is killing us. If we are to save this event we need a chance for better (and hopefully warmer) weather.
Ann proxied in a good idea that we hold competitions on Saturday and then open that field to everyone on Sunday. The other public would still be open on Saturday as in the past but we would have more room for beginners on Sunday.

We will try to help get more sonsers this year. And try a few cost reductions. The PA system is a must and also one of the biggest expences.

Lots of ideas but the big question is the date.
Later

[Mike]

that would still leave no place for regular sport kiters on Saturday. We need to make room for them on both days.
Maybe a re-arrangement of the fields.
I'd like to promote the festival on the many internet forums and hand out flyers to fliers at other festivals. But I don't think we can attract the sport-kiters if they don't have room to fly.

[Draftnik]

Check around, a kite fest is great public exposure. Someone's pry willing to do a like/kind donation. They do the gig for free in exchange for being listed as one of your sponsors. From the discussions here, churches may have the resources you need! That may not be the easiest union to make happen, religious and a state institutes playing nicely together for a day. :) Who else has sound systems?...dj's, schools, musicians, and radio stations off the top of my head. The beer comapanies have trucks with mc and sound that they roll into tailgate parties, that's not an image for a kite fest, but maybe the cola companies or someone has one...

[Ann]

Thanks for the update about the meeting today. I will confirm this, but I believe the Michigan Kitefest will be taking place on the weekend of June 9 - 10. That's not to say Perry Farm should not happen, but attendance may then be split. I agree with Mike that we need to offer places for sport kiters to fly on both days, regardless of whether or not they are competing. Perhaps a reconfiguation of the fields is necessary.

Ann

[TheBigKiteGuy]

I will be in Jamestown, ND on June 9-10.

[Knoted4ever]

June weather is likely to be much more favorable!

It's unfortunate that this date, however, clashes with some of the members' schedules.

Last year, it was nice that they did mow the area for the Big Demo kites (which was a bit farther from the trees). i wonder what other areas are potential places to mow or make available; though i realize that much of Perry Farm is a nature refuge area; it wouldn't seem right hacking away too much just for a two day kiting thing! The wild flowers in that more distant area are breathtaking; particularly the wild daisies with the innumerable butterflies, etc.

Regarding the competition... well it does have its place, which is cool; but i do feel for those chaps who come from afar, who are unfamiliar with the place (i.e., Perry Farm's environment); and after having practiced routines diligently day after day for a long time... and after paying a hefty competition fee... find themselves in undercurrents that are largely unavoidable, which they are not used to. But we all have to contend with rough times now and then... so it may be a beneficial learning experience!

[Frodos Majik]

Thanks for the update, sounds like some thing might have been ironed out. Which is good!!

Ann, I looked on mackites site and the Michigan fest is May 18,19,20th. So there is no conflict there, unless you are talking about another fest that I did not know about.

Sorry to hear you wont be able to make the fest Al, should it fall on those dates, but have a good time and good winds in Jamestown!!

[Mike]

I think Ann is talking about a different festival. It's a competition run by John and Elaine (sp?) Cosby in the Kalamazoo area.

[TheBigKiteGuy]

The Cosby's have moved to the Puerto Rico, however the festival lives on and it is on June 9th and 10th.

http://www.michigankitefest.com/

[Frodos Majik]

Understand, wires crossed.