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WhataKite · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 2:59 am Post subject: Niagara Festival News

Hello,
I am just getting word from several Kiteheads that the Niagara Fest is canceled due to lack of funding. It is confirmed.

I am wondering if there would be any way to keep the tradition alive, until this economy sorts itself out. How about if we start a group to see if we could have a big laid back Fun Fly those days at the Reservoir Park? I envision a good basic Kitehead get together. Karen and I would love to come, and bring all of our stuff. There are enough Kiteheads in the immediate area to put on a good show. I know that everyone in the area would help all that they could.

I am just not the type guy to shrug his shoulders and say "Oh Well". I really believe that this is something we all could do. No freebies or big budgets. Only fly on Saturday and Sunday, bring a lunch and a few beers, everyone help each other, and enjoy the week end. If you have something with a string come and fly it!!

This could be a great way to save the festival until better times come! That do you say??? I say yes! Lets check into it for permits and such.
Best Regards
Barry and Karen Ogletree
WhataKite
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KaiKite · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 3:15 am Post subject:

When would this be (or not?)?
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Bitter Jeweler · Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Posts: 538 Location: Cleveland, Ohio

Ditto...When would this be?

It's a 3.5 hour drive for me. That's easy!
I think I could drum up 6 more people to fly as well.
You can pretty much count me in. Smile

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Fore Check · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 10:21 am Post subject:

The 2009 festival was scheduled for the last weekend of September (25-26)

Last year it was early October.
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Mrhide · Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Posts: 1572 Location: Montreal, Canada

I'm there, you can call it "international" : Very Happy

WhataKite · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:21 pm Post subject: Niagara Date

Hello
The date of Sept 24-25 is OK for us. I hope this can work. I see land mines in the stuff like city permits, etc. Maybe some of the locals will help on that part.
Thanks for the quick response guys. Can everyone write to friends and talk this up, please. If you see any problems write also.
Regards
Barry and Karen
WhataKite
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Mrhide · Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Posts: 1572 Location: Montreal, Canada

email sent to the TKF group to see if someone local can investigate the permit.

I'm sure the city will be happy to help since we're helping to keep a festival alive!

Jon · Joined: 11 Sep 2008 Posts: 28 Location: USA VT Montpelier

My wife and I were planning on attending this year. As new fliers, we missed it last year.

My 2 cents: There was a ton of media interest last year it looked like. Get one of those TV stations to sponsor it. I work in radio, I speak from experience. All we need to do is show them how to make money from it, and if their promotions people are worth a darn, they will already know.

There's obviously interest in continuing to hold it. Sounds like what is needed is someone to step up and ram-rod this locally. Unfortunately I'm 6 hours or more away or I would jump in. Personally, I have no doubt it will happen, and I'm still holding the date on my calendar!
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CJQ · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 3:15 pm Post subject:

Hi Jon, good suggestion's. The lady that pull's the event together is Meg Albers , I can't think of a better "Ramrod" than her. If there's a way she'd be on it. It's got to be all about the economy biting hard.

CLIFF

Fore Check · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 3:27 pm Post subject:

I was (and still am) undecided on this one this year, it was just a long drive, ya know?

Anyway - why not simply scale the things back out of the "budget" that are the high cost items? I know sponsored flyers attract the "non-kiteheads" (see general public) but personally, they'd be the first to go. No offense to anyone intended, just throwing out an idea/opinion. Also do away with the banquet thing. The reviews from it weren't the greatest anyway. I'd focus on the carnival type stuff at Reservoir Park (food, bathrooms, permits) and do away with all of the other. Let the kite flyers who attend be the show.
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Discovering Something that Doesn't Exist...

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Jon · Joined: 11 Sep 2008 Posts: 28 Location: USA VT Montpelier

Exactly what I was thinking. I'm a kiter. I fly. As long as their's flying, that's all I care about.

Expensive banquets with the usual so-so food just don't interest me much anyway. I *would* support it by attending, but I'm just as happy to go fly and find a restaurant (or pot luck) to gather at later.

I'm not sure the general public knows or cares that the latest and greatest demo team won't be there. To all my non-kiter friends, a kite is a kite and it's all amazing to them. They would be just as happy to see Kinko the Wonder Clown fly his amazing fish kite as iQuad. Very few would know what they were missing. (no offense to Kinko! Smile

)
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Comments, suggestions and snide comments welcome!

-the more proud you are of the way a kite is turning out, the more you use the Seam Ripper!

torontokitefliers · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 3:57 pm Post subject:

reynolds5520 · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 5:09 pm Post subject:

This just in from the AKA Region 1 Director

LittleChickenRacingTeam · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:46 pm Post subject:

reynolds5520 · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:05 pm Post subject:

Pumpkin · Joined: 30 Oct 2006 Posts: 7991 Location: Birmingham UK

It's not just you Litttle Chicken.... totally ludicrous needing a permit to fly kites.
Anyone know what the criteria for a permit is? Expertise? Insurance ? or just pay out a few bucks for another bit of bureaucracy?
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CJQ · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:47 pm Post subject:

Maybe you say to the Park folks ,can I have a permit for a picknic ,a bunch of friends want to have a cook out, you know hot dog's and hamburgs and a couple of grill's. Oh, by the way they like to fly kites ,,is that ok?? just my thought.

CLIFF

George@thekitemuseum · Joined: 19 Dec 2007 Posts: 8 Location: Canada

I don’t mean to discourage creative thinking, but this has to be a huge disappointment for Meg, and the fact that she has told some people that it is cancelled speaks to her sense of responsibility.

Likewise I also think that since she has not stated anything more than that, particularly about the future, may also speak to this being something she has to work through and needs a bit of time to put her thoughts in order.

Unfortunately I view some of these e-mails as similar to talking about someone as if there aren’t in the room when they are. Christ the body isn't even cold yet, lets give her a bit of time out of respect for her years of creating this event.

If people want to have a separate festival in the area, go for it. But if it is the same name/locations, etc, well, I would just hope we could give her a week or so to collect her thoughts first. Funny, such an outcry about stealing other people's kite designs, why a different standard for someone's festival?

What I do know is that Meg has put her whole life into this festival; that this has happened before and this may not be a complete surprise in theory – and so I assume she is weighing different options and probably intends to find sponsors and do it again in the future. And if that is the case, I would hope we would not do anything to inadvertently conflict with that, but rather support her.

For instance, if this goes too far about a “free” Niagara festival and then she wants to re-establish this more international – and yes costly one, well, you can see the types of problems it could present to her approaching potential sponsors. Just one of a number of considerations which would have to looked at.

Kiting has to be about more than just kites. If we over look the humanity and human courtestys and respect for what each have done, then ...

Anyways, good luck Meg. I will wait until you are ready to share you thoughts - YOU are the NIKF. Otherwise it is just a name and place.

If I have offended anyone with this, I am sorry. I don't mean to. My dear friend has had some tough news ( and tough year) and supporting my friend is alot more important than any of this other stuff. Meg has earned our respect and support - and yes - our love.

Take your time Meg. Let us know when you are ready.
Best
G.

Bitter Jeweler · Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Posts: 538 Location: Cleveland, Ohio

Interesting postings here.

I see two ways to go about it.

1. Saving a legit/sponsored/publicized event by having said event and trimming as much fat as possible.

2. Having a Kite Geek get together, in honor of said "lost" event, and appealing to the news and media as a way to drum up support/participation.

I think the second is more interesting, because you could still publicize it, i guess, but make the appeal to the media, which should love a feel good story of good hearted kiters still trying to offer the locals something to do, while the economy and budget cuts take those things away.

I would think, as far as a permit is concerned, would a city normaly welcome something like this, and do what they can to help out? or does it all come down to, like Pumpkin said, beaurocracy, insurance, etc...? Does it have to be held by an organization, or a group of people?
?

What are your thoughts Barry? Are you trying to "save" the event?
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Popeye · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 10:44 pm Post subject:

What if it were a single line kite event? I mean look at all of the events we have. Think about it.
The "sport/demo teams" take 80% of the field area- roped off so nobody can go there. They require announcers and music, security, blah, blah, blah... and us SLK folk get to fly over swamps.
Now I'm not for one minute jumping on the anti-sport kite soapbox, but yes while their demos are inspiring and entertaining, I think the SLK group has very little in the way of events. You can certainly involve a whole lot more of the general public in an single line event than a sport kite exhibition of expertise.
I'm currently working on putting on a kite festival in my home town geared toward familes and KIDS who, for the most part are going to fly SINGLE LINE KITES. What's wrong with this idea?