Kite Festival soars with no wind

Sunday was a perfect day — unless you wanted to fly a kite. The bright sun and warmth was missing one vital ingredient, a consistent wind. 

 

As hundreds of people walked around and relaxed in the shade of Farmamerica the afternoon of Sunday, July 6, for the Great American Kite Festival, workers and volunteers tried to figure out the best way to fly the world’s largest American flag kite, “Old Glory.”

 

The event was supported by the Waseca Sleigh and Cutter Festival Association, with Farmamerica acting as host. Originally planned for 11 a.m to 4 p.m. Saturday, the event was moved to Sunday because of the rain. 

 

“I mean, between the rain yesterday — the first postponement, that made a big difference — and then today, I’m hoping for more wind, which doesn’t often happen in Southern Minnesota. Usually we want less wind,” said Sleigh and Cutter president Scott Roemhildt. 

 

The festival is celebrating its seventy-fifth year, making it the longest continuing parade and festival in the nation, Roemhildt said. 

 

“We just thought that doing the summer event is another way to highlight the year that we’ve had,” he said. 

 

The Kite Festival is typically held in the winter on Clear Lake, a widely positive and popular event, according to Roemhildt. He added this year, he wanted to do something different and with the kite company having the large American flag, having it over the Fourth of July seemed fitting. 

 

Coming in at 600 pounds and 10,000 square feet (the same size as the Farmamerica building), the flag was laid out to fly numerous times during the five-hour event. Those in attendance wandered the Farmamerica grounds, bought food and drinks from a selection of food and vendor trucks, and found shade along the Farmamerica hill to sit and watch the various kites and flags. 

 

Some families bought their own flags to attempt to fly high with the other larger, colorful flags. 

“Just to see all these people out here, it’s fantastic. Especially when we had to delay it a day and hoping that people would hear about it, doing all we could do to get the word out,” Roemhildt said. “Just hoping we can get all the kites up.”

 

Farmamerica executive director Jessica Rollins said the Farmamerica grounds were there as a location big enough for all the kites to fly, with their historic sites open in the back. The only thing left was the wind. 

 

“It’s almost always windy at Farmamerica and when we pulled in this morning there was no wind. I was like, ‘Are you kidding?’” Rollins said. 

 

She added if anyone missed the kite festival, the public is welcome to come out for self-guided or guided tours at Farmamerica. 

 

Roemhildt said one of the Sleigh and Cutter Festival Association’s goals is to give back to the community in different ways. Between a gambling association, donating money, the kite festival, winter fireworks and more, he said the group tries to benefit the community. 

“Supporting the community that supports us,” Roemhildt said. 

 

A historic display of the Waseca Sleigh and Cutter Festival will be in Hudson Hall at the Waseca County Fair for any who wish to learn more about the history of the festival. More information can also be found online at sleighandcutterfestival.org.