June 2011
Phone: 260-463-4901 • Fax 888-439-6528 • The Hometown Treasure
Page 12
Nearly 2000 people looked to the sky Saturday,
April 30, not for guidance, but for kites. The skies
over Shipshewana were filled with kites of all shapes,
sizes and colors. The flyers ranged from toddlers to
professionals. The first annual Kite Komotion Festival
and Clinic drew thousands of curious spectators and
kite enthusiasts from around the country. Fliers came
from Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and as far as Iowa,
Rhode Island and Texas for the event, hosted by the
LaGrange Communities Youth Centers, Inc. and Head
over Heels, LLC. The event was paid for through grants,
corporate and private donations allowing all events to
be free to the public.
Two international kite teams, the Chicago Fire
and the Detroit Windjammers, performed intricate,
acrobatic routines to music, demonstrated sophisticated
kite maneuvers and flew a variety of competition kites
including stacked kites and multiple line team kites.
The extremely high winds created a challenge for kite
flyers. According to the Windjammers, ideal conditions
are winds from 10 to 12 miles per hour. Saturday winds
gusted over 25 miles an hour. Despite the high winds,
audience members were treated to the sight of the
world’s largest stunt kite and other larger than life kites
including a scuba diver and a giant alligator.
Along with the professionals, hundreds of