Holy cow! Talk about sneaking up on us!
And such a surprise, since it has occurred every spring for the pat 20+ years.
The Blossom Kite Festival is March 30 - only two weeks away.
http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestiva ... -festival/
Has anyone contacted the coordinator to set us as an official participant? Does anyone have the name and contact info?
Who has the gear from last year?
Who can commit to helping out?
My Pulse and the kid's harness are available. Based on our experience, folks with gear need to be there extra early. I'lll plan to be there the entire day, since the flying-kids display gets REALLY popular all afternoon.
Cragin
Kite Festival is March 30!
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
Kite Festival is March 30!
Cragin
Douglas.Cragin(AT)iCloud(DOT)com
Weather - https://sites.google.com/site/hgweather/
Flying - http://craginsflightblog.blogspot.com/
Kay's Stuff- http://kayshappenings.blogspot.com/
GO to 50 https://sites.google.com/site/hgmemories/Home/50th
Douglas.Cragin(AT)iCloud(DOT)com
Weather - https://sites.google.com/site/hgweather/
Flying - http://craginsflightblog.blogspot.com/
Kay's Stuff- http://kayshappenings.blogspot.com/
GO to 50 https://sites.google.com/site/hgmemories/Home/50th
Re: Kite Festival is March 30!
At the last meeting there was talk about our not being allowed to have a display anymore.
David Bodner
Re: Kite Festival is March 30!
Sorry Cragin. I waited too late and didn't contact the festival organizer until Feb. 20 and was told it was too late. In the past it's been pretty casual, but things have changed. I've already told her we can provide proof of insurance and will fund a booth for next year. I also told her pilots will be kiting paragliders and handing out non-profit club information.
---
Hi Matt,
Thank you for your interest in the event and for getting in touch. As you know we’re getting VERY close to the overall Festival (starting with the March 4 Press Conference), and we’re well underway with National Park Service permitting and development of promotional materials that have deadlines next week. Given the proximity of the event and the anticipated presence of 2 construction zones and some additional challenges unfortunately we will have to hold off on a booth and demos this year and focus on planning for next year. Here are some ideas that hopefully we can discuss over the summer if you’re interested:
Participants & Risk Management
One of the main challenges for this year is that we’re working on risk management and Festival policies for participants related to insurance. As we address this as a Festival, we’re asking organizations to present certificates of insurance and developing waivers for the public to sign. In looking to future participation and demos, does your organization have a a certificate of insurance? If you’re doing simulations or participatory demonstrations, is there a waiver that people sign to participate? I think there are several ways to structure this to make it not too onerous but it would take some time to work through, which unfortunately we’re short on for 2013.
Site Design
Carving out better space to highlight your organization is something that we should also review. Last year I remember someone roving through the crowd with a parachute, and for safety reasons we should have this occur in a more confined and even a roped off area. A parachute fell on attendees sitting on the ground last year when someone was walking through the crowd with gear on.
Financial Resources
Another challenge is that my budget can be extremely tight to provide a table and tent to participants. This year I had to scale back on my ideal number of participating organizations for that reason. For future reference, do you have the ability to help cover the cost of tables, chairs, or a tent through your organization?
Booth
For further involvement within a booth, what do you think about the idea of a “make and take” activity? We often have a newspaper sponsor, so I was thinking this could be a neat project and perhaps one we can get sponsored…. though I’m not sure if it would work with newspaper: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Paper-Parachute. Would people within your organization be interested in manning a booth for an activity? If not, no worries but I still think having a parachute related activity on-site could be something to consider.
I recognize the value of your participation over the past two years and volunteers who provide programming support in demos, but I also want to ensure that we can deliver on the execution and the formalities needed based on new Festival policies. In pausing to reflect on how to better highlight your organization I am hopeful we can incorporate something wonderful for 2014!
Again, my apologies that it didn’t work out for this year.
---
Hi Matt,
Thank you for your interest in the event and for getting in touch. As you know we’re getting VERY close to the overall Festival (starting with the March 4 Press Conference), and we’re well underway with National Park Service permitting and development of promotional materials that have deadlines next week. Given the proximity of the event and the anticipated presence of 2 construction zones and some additional challenges unfortunately we will have to hold off on a booth and demos this year and focus on planning for next year. Here are some ideas that hopefully we can discuss over the summer if you’re interested:
Participants & Risk Management
One of the main challenges for this year is that we’re working on risk management and Festival policies for participants related to insurance. As we address this as a Festival, we’re asking organizations to present certificates of insurance and developing waivers for the public to sign. In looking to future participation and demos, does your organization have a a certificate of insurance? If you’re doing simulations or participatory demonstrations, is there a waiver that people sign to participate? I think there are several ways to structure this to make it not too onerous but it would take some time to work through, which unfortunately we’re short on for 2013.
Site Design
Carving out better space to highlight your organization is something that we should also review. Last year I remember someone roving through the crowd with a parachute, and for safety reasons we should have this occur in a more confined and even a roped off area. A parachute fell on attendees sitting on the ground last year when someone was walking through the crowd with gear on.
Financial Resources
Another challenge is that my budget can be extremely tight to provide a table and tent to participants. This year I had to scale back on my ideal number of participating organizations for that reason. For future reference, do you have the ability to help cover the cost of tables, chairs, or a tent through your organization?
Booth
For further involvement within a booth, what do you think about the idea of a “make and take” activity? We often have a newspaper sponsor, so I was thinking this could be a neat project and perhaps one we can get sponsored…. though I’m not sure if it would work with newspaper: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Paper-Parachute. Would people within your organization be interested in manning a booth for an activity? If not, no worries but I still think having a parachute related activity on-site could be something to consider.
I recognize the value of your participation over the past two years and volunteers who provide programming support in demos, but I also want to ensure that we can deliver on the execution and the formalities needed based on new Festival policies. In pausing to reflect on how to better highlight your organization I am hopeful we can incorporate something wonderful for 2014!
Again, my apologies that it didn’t work out for this year.
Re: Kite Festival is March 30!
We have just been bureaucratized out of participation. Insurance? Waivers? Folding freaking newspapers as an activity? Sheesh!
I'm done.
I'm done.
Cragin
Douglas.Cragin(AT)iCloud(DOT)com
Weather - https://sites.google.com/site/hgweather/
Flying - http://craginsflightblog.blogspot.com/
Kay's Stuff- http://kayshappenings.blogspot.com/
GO to 50 https://sites.google.com/site/hgmemories/Home/50th
Douglas.Cragin(AT)iCloud(DOT)com
Weather - https://sites.google.com/site/hgweather/
Flying - http://craginsflightblog.blogspot.com/
Kay's Stuff- http://kayshappenings.blogspot.com/
GO to 50 https://sites.google.com/site/hgmemories/Home/50th
Re: Kite Festival is March 30!
Anyone thinking about kiting on the mall tomorrow?