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. |
| 8 |
|
| 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. |
| 22 |
|
| 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. |
| 12 |
|
| 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! |
| 26 |
|
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 |
| 12 |
|
| 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 <<. |
| 9 |
|
| 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 |
| 23 |
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. |
| 30 |
|
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. |
| 14 |
|
| 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! |
| 11 |
|
| 18 |
Third Saturday -
|
| 25 |
|
July 2011
| 2 |
First Saturday - July Fourth weekend |
| 9 |
|
| 16 |
Third Saturday - |
| 23 |
|
| 30 |
|
August 2011
| 6 |
First Saturday -
|
| 13 |
|
| 20 |
Third Saturday - |
| 27 |
|
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. |
| 10 |
|
| 17 |
Third Saturday - |
| 23 |
|
| 26-Oct 1 |
AKA Convention |
| 30 |
|
October 2011
| 1 |
First Saturday - |
| 8 |
|
| 15 |
Third Saturday - |
| 22 |
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. |
| 12 |
|
| 19 |
Third Saturday - |
| 26 |
|
December 2011
| 3 |
First Saturday - |
| 10 |
|
| 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! |
| |
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