2011WACKOS Flying Schedule
The First and Third Saturday of every month at Frank Liske Park
(Other activities, and where they'll be are also shown)

For other events around the country, click here to visit the AKA  web site and select "Event Calendar.

Sometimes, I don't get all the good pictures. But Jim & Laura post theirs for everyone to enjoy. Check out their  gallery at Kitefliers Kite Gallery. 
And Jim Martin puts a bunch up at his Fotki photo page.
January 2011
1 First Saturday - Happy New Year! Let's try to fly at Mint Hill Park. If the weather doesn't cooperate, there's a place called The Coffee Garden in the shopping center at Lawyers & Steven's Mill Rd. across from the McDonald's. Or there's the McDonald's - their coffee isn't bad either.
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15 Third Saturday -

The Treasure Island Kite Festival was this weekend. The weather was great - although cold for Florida - but the winds were decent and kites filled the air. There was everything from a one-inch diamond when the winds were low to a full size Octopus, caterpillar, lizard and one-eyed, one-eared, flying purple people-eater. With Ben in attendance, there were lots of Revs and a sport kite competition on Saturday. A lot of spectators came to the beach to watch the festival and flyers came from all over the East coast and the Midwest. I know there are photos somewhere on the internet but I haven't found them yet. When I do, I'll post links. I've heard there are photos on Facebook but I don't "do" Facebook so I can't confirm that.  You'll have to trust that I had a good time.

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29 Fifth Saturday - Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Grumpy flew at FLP today!  It would have been difficult to have a better flying day at the end of January - temps were mild in the low 60's, winds were variable but steady and the sun was out all day. At one point I counted 6 single lines, 3 dual lines and one quad in the air at the same time and 8 flyers on the ground. A great welcome back for Grumpy on his first Saturday at FLP in way too long. And the new Senior Ranger came by to chat and take some pictures - it was a pleasure meeting you, Jessica. Please come back and fly with us.
February 2011
5 First Saturday -  will the weather be nice enough to fly? A few of us thought so.
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19 Third Saturday - Sunny and windy and unseasonably warm. Charlotte setting some heat records for February. Good day for flying and getting back together. So far Spring 2011 is looking good!
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March 2011

5 First Saturday - In addition to our regular scheduled flying day, Claire is having her 5th birthday party at Frank Liske Park. Her mother wrote, "We are celebrating her birthday Saturday March 5th at the Frank Liske Park in Concord. We’d love for members of your group to come and fly kites for the children, show them how much fun it can be, maybe even help them out. " . So bring banners and extra kites, and help Claire have a fun birthday party
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19 Third Saturday

 - Lake Park Kite Day, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Founders Park, Lake Park - see this map map to Lake Park. We've been invited back so bring your wind farm and ground show. Remember, single line kites are best here as there are so many kids running around. Keep 'em flying, but keep 'em safe.

 Eddie wrote, "It was a beautiful day at Lake Park. It was the best kite day I have had there ever. There were a handful of WACKOS on hand. Thanks to a fellow WACKOS named Curt I was able to even get some KAP photos this year for the first time. Here's a link to some photos I took at Lake Park today: Eddie's Picasaweb photos "

 - Return to Tybee Island Kite Fly - We haven't been to Tybee in several years and it's time to return. Meet on the beach by the pier Friday for a night fly, a WACKOS sky show Saturday followed by a crab feast and more on Sunday. Click >> Tybee Beach pier & pavilion << to see the pier on the beach.

Jim M. wrote, "Tybee was interesting – we did not know it was a big Spring Break weekend down there, and the beach was wall-to-wall college/hiskule kids and their coolers.  Luckily, we were able to anchor  back by the dune line and fly kites up over the dunes Saturday afternoon.  (The morning winds were from the shore and flukey.). Sadly, the Crab Shack was so crowded we couldn’t get in the door, though JJ did get to feed the alligators.  In case we go back some day, the Ocean Plaza staff is MUCH better than they were 8-10 years ago when we were last staying with them – and their dinner buffet was actually very tasty. ".

26 The 26th marks the beginning of National Kite Month. NKM lasts until May 1st. Don't forget to schedule and register kiting events this month.
 

April 2011 is National Kite Month.

2 First Saturday - National Kite Month Everybody Come Out and Fly Thing.

We're always saying we never have enough wind at Frank Liske Park. It must have been saving up for us because we had plenty of wind today - a fairly steady 20 mph with occasional gusts much higher. It was not a day for ULs or big inflatable kites. Today was a day for Skydancers and vented kites. There was plenty of standing around talking about how windy it was, too. Eddie got some pictures >> here <<.

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16 Third Saturday - Strong storms throughout the South kept all the kites on the ground. This Spring certainly has been an interesting one for nasty weather.

Blue Ridge Kite Festival, Salem, Va. - apparently the unlucky 13th got rained out, then blown away.

"Celebration of Play, noon to 3 p.m., City Lake Park, 815 Concord Rd, Albemarle, NC. Contact Oliver Webster at owebster at ci.albemarle.nc.us

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Holden Beach Day at the Docks, April 24 & 25th. The last couple years have had pretty good weather and improving beaches. See Holden Beach Merchants web site for more information.

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May 2011

7 First Saturday - Sunday is Mother's day so bring your Mother to the park and teach her to fly! Or have her teach your kids to fly.
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21 Third Saturday -
  Memorial Day weekend
 

June 2011

4 First Saturday - It was a typical summer day at Frank Liske - hot, sticky, winds up and down but never more than about 4 mph.  A few short moments of frantic flying followed by nothing. But it was enough for 5 flyers and a couple newcomers to the club. We started a 7-year-old on a flying path and renewed the flying spirit for her Mom. I hope we see them again. A decent day!
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18

Third Saturday -

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July 2011

2 First Saturday - July Fourth weekend
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16 Third Saturday -
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August 2011

6 First Saturday -
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20 Third Saturday -
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September 2011

3 - 5 First Saturday - Mile High Kite Fly at Beech Mountain. Saturday was pretty good with fairly clear skies, decent winds and warm temps and continued that way into the evening for the street dance. Winds were light for night flying but a few of us got up there and put something in the sky for awhile. Sunday started very nicely, warmer than expected but light and variable winds. By noon, however, everything went downhill. Skies clouded up and got darker, then the rains started. A few brave souls continued to fly during the rain but the first claps of thunder put an end to that. In very short order, kites, banners and pop-ups were down and packed away wet. We had lunch back at the 4 Seasons of Beech and wrote off the rest of the day. It continued to rain on and off, at times very hard into the evening. Monday morning we awoke in the clouds and everyone headed home early because more rain was on the way.

This was the second event shared by the Richmond Air Force and the WACKOS that was terminated due to rain. It was determined at dinner Sunday night that the only thing different from our other successful shared events was the presence of a new club - Got Wind? of Salem, Va. As is the way of all kite flyers looking for reasons they couldn't fly an event, Got Wind? became the "scapegoats" and are banned from any more events in 2011! I'm kidding, of course, about being banned from any more 2011 events, but if you show up at Wrightsville Beach and it rains, you've got troubles. As the "new kids on the block", we need to  tease you about something. Looking forward to flying with you again.

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17 Third Saturday -
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26-Oct 1 AKA Convention
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October 2011

1 First Saturday -
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15 Third Saturday -
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Carolina Kite Fest, Sheraton Atlantic Beach, Atlantic Beach, NC. See http://www.kites-birdstuff.com/ckf.html.

29  Holden Beach Festival by the Sea.
 

November 2011

5 - 6 First Saturday - Cape Fear Kite thing, Wrightsville Beach, web site is http://www.capefearkitefestival.com/.  Fly in front of the Shell Island Resort, website is http://www.shellisland.com.

Saturday was a "blow out" day - literally. There were a few kites up but gusts were clocked over 30 mph all day. Best part of Saturday was the party and food at Mike & Judy's after the "flying". Beverly Foeller donated Gerhard's kite collection in his memory to be sold to benefit the Cape Fear Kite Festival and it was very successful.

Sunday was a much better day! Winds were still strong at 12 - 18 mph and got stronger as the day went on. The amount of seafood in the air was amazing and watched over by a merman & mermaid that got a lot of attention. On Sunday, people were parking up and down the beach road and walking down to the flying fields. It was probably the best crowd of spectators I've seen at the festival yet.

First set of pictures I've seen are on Timothy McMackin's photo page - (click here).  He's placed a video on gwtwforums in Kite Land Events. Let me know if you see more. David Gomberg also has some pictures on his GKPI weekly update; see Windy in Wilmington and Jim Martin posted some on his fotki album - click here. More photos from Mark & Tina on Facebook: click here and here.

A new club from Roanoke, Va., Got Wind?,  arrived Friday and brought much needed rain to the area. We look forward to flying with you again.

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19 Third Saturday -
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December 2011

3 First Saturday -
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17 Third Saturday -
24 Christmas Eve - hope Santa found his way to your house with some new toys for the new year.
31 New Years Eve - Last chance to fly in 2011. See you in the new year!