September 25, 2024

The 8th annual Kites Over Grinnell will be held on Sat., Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ahrens Park Soccer Field, 1510 Penrose Ave.

Colorful kites by 15 members of the American Kitefliers Association (AKA) will dot the sky.  Hailing from Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, and Pennsylvania, most of the kitefliers have been here before and look forward to coming back, according to Sis Vogel who with her husband Dick, both AKA members, have been instrumental in inviting the professional kitefliers year after year,

“They come back for the sheer joy of flying their kites and sharing the spectacle with a very appreciative crowd,” said Vogel.

Missing, however, will be night kite flying which was tried last year. Vogel said that in her experience in the Midwest, the wind dies down at night unless there is a storm, thus hindering kite flying.

BALINESE GAMELAN MUSIC

Coming back this year is Balinese gamelan music to be provided by the Grinnell College Balinese Sound Ensemble at 10 a.m. under the direction of Putu Hiranmayena, assistant professor of music.

Hiranmayena explained that gamelan music is very suitable to kite flying and is integral to popular kite-flying festivals in Bali, Indonesia, from where the music originates. The rhythmic sound produced on hand-forged bronze metal such as gongs, gong-chimes, and cymbals usually accompanies the movement of the kites as they are launched into the air.  There are no written musical scores; rather, Hiranmayena teaches his gamelan students how to put together Balinese idioms of melodies, rhythm, and structure so that they can compose their own music in a communal manner.

Following their performance, the student musicians will invite the audience to try their hand at gamelan.

MUSIC ALL DAY

The national anthem will be sung at noon.

“The Jolt with Jamie and Lynette DJ Dance Service,” of Newton, will provide music throughout the day. Jamie Grout, known to the area for having worked at KCOB and Energy 106.7 for the last 16 years as operations manager and air personality, will emcee the event while Lynette Baker will provide technical support.

By happenstance, Grout has been a Rotarian for the last six years and served as president of the Newton Rotary Club in 2022-23.  He had been inducted to the Iowa Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in the DJ category several years back.

CANDY DROP AT 1:30 AND 3:30 P.M.

There will be a candy drop at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. Children will be asked to clear the flying area. When there is wind, special bags holding candy will be lifted off the ground by a kite. The bags are triggered to open over the flying area. The kids can then run in to pick up candy.   If there is no wind, the candy will be scattered by hand – usually by folks on golf carts. There are age brackets for the kids to take part in, beginning with the youngest.  More candy is dropped between each group.

FLY YOUR KITE

The main attraction of Kites Over Grinnell is the opportunity to fly one’s own kite.  Rotary Club has distributed 1000 kite kits to kids at Davis, Bailey Park, and Fairview elementary schools and the Grinnell Community Early Learning Center. The Red Hats ladies also distributed kites at Windsor Manor. Rotary encourages recipients of kite kits to put their kites together and fly them at Kites Over Grinnell.

Some kite kits will be available on site.

And, of course, people can bring and fly their own kites.

KITE HOSPITAL

A Kite Hospital, operated by professional kitefliers, Rotarians, and volunteers from the Grinnell College swim team, will be open to help anyone needing to repair or put together a kite.

FREE LUNCH         

Free hotdogs, chips, and water will be provided by the Rotary Club at lunch until supply lasts.  Those who would like to have a picnic can bring their own food, lawn chairs or blankets, find a space, and enjoy the kites.

PRIZES AND GAMES

Rotarians will be on the lookout for the “most colorful”, “most unusual,” and “funniest” kites and give out prizes. A grand prize will be reserved for “President’s Choice” kite.

There will be games and prizes donated by local businesses.

POLICE, FIRE TRUCK, AMBULANCE ON DISPLAY

If available, a fire truck, ambulance, and police car will be on site for spectators to view.

HISTORY OF KITES OVER GRINNELL

Now on its 8th year under the auspices of the Grinnell Rotary Club, Kites was first introduced in 2002 by the late Rev. Dan Ogata, a retired local pastor who loved kite flying.  The event was sponsored by the Grinnell Kiwanis Club, of which Ogata was a member.

In 2006, Ogata invited Dick and Sis Vogel to help organize the event.  At its height, Kites drew some 2000 spectators and 52 professional kite fliers from across the nation and Canada. In 2009, Kites became a three-day event.  After a hiatus, Grinnell Rotary took over in 2016.  There was no Kites in 2020 because of Covid.

“Through this family festival, Rotary hopes to give back to the community,” says Bruce Blankenfeld, coordinator of Kites.

HONORING DENNY CONWAY

Beloved teacher and long-time Rotarian Dennis Conway, who passed away earlier this year, will be remembered through ribbons that will be given to kids who attend Kites over Grinnell.

Giving ribbons to kids is a fitting way to remember Conway who devoted 34 years of his professional life teaching business education at Grinnell High School, and then ten more years as substitute teacher at numerous school districts in the area.

Over and above that, Conway coached high school wrestling, football and track, along with youth basketball, baseball, and softball. He was a longtime member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

Born on April 22,1951 in Sioux City, Conway was raised there and in Council Bluffs where he graduated from St. Albert High School in 1969.  He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Huron College in South Dakota in 1973 and received a masters in education from Drake University. Though he had polio as a young kid, Conway was able to play football at Huron.  He was united in marriage to Glenyce R. Uttecht on Aug. 3, 1974 in Alpena, South Dakota, and the couple moved to Grinnell in the fall of 1974. Together they had two children, Brian Conway who is principal at Davis Elementary School and Emily Conway, a nurse in Des Moines.

Conway died on April 28, 2024.

GENEROUS DONORS

The 2024 Kites Over Grinnell is funded in part by the Grinnell College Community Service Mini- Grant Program, the City of Grinnell Tourism grant from the hotel and motel tax, and the many businesses who also sponsored Rotary’s annual chicken barbecue, the Club’s only fundraiser.

The venue is being provided by the Ahrens Park Foundation.

FOR MORE INFO

For more information, contact Bruce Blankenfeld at 641-990-1152.