Come Free Join The Fun! Event Visit SOKF.ORG to learn how you can support The Southern Oregon Kite Festival Contents Our Free Shuttle Service A free shuttle service to transport attendees from the Port Our Free Shuttle 1 boardwalk parking area to and from the kite field is provided by Schedule of Events 2-3 Curry Public Transit. Shuttles will operate from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., both Map 4-5 Saturday and Sunday during the kite festival. In Memory of Al Washington 7 This Free Service is funded by the generous donations from The SOKF Organizers 8 businesses and other supporters of the Southern Oregon Kite Meet Your Flyers 9 Festival. What Is The SOKF? 12 Parking at the kite field is very limited, so please park at the Kite Festival Rules 13 large lot on Lower Harbor Road. Then hop on one of the free shuttles for a short ride to the kite field. Kite Facts & Trivia 16 Friends Of The SOKF 17 2019 Banquet & Auction 24 Vendors 2019 25 History of SOKF 30 Thank You Sponsors! 36 Dining & Lodging 46-47 Kite Types 52-53 Support Our Troops 74 American Kite Fliers Asso. 83 Find the Logo Contest 91 1 Schedule of Events Saturday, July 20th 10:00 am Festival Opening Ceremony Professional Kite Flying Begins 11:00 am - 1 pm Free Children’s Kite Building Workshop (ages 3 and up) Sponsored by the Rogue “Our thanks to Bill Watterson” Valley Windchasers 4:00 pm End of Day 1 Schedule of Events 5:30 pm Auction Banquet Chetco Brewing Company Warehouse Friday, July 19th 830 Railroad St., Brookings, OR 7:00 pm Indoor Kite Flying Demo Azalea Middle School Gymnasium Sunday, July 21st 10:00 am Festival Begins Day 2 Professional Kite Flying Begins 11:00 am - 1 pm Free Children’s Kite Building Workshop (ages 3 and up) Sponsored by the Rogue Valley Windchasers 4:00 pm Close of Kite Festival Join us for the 28th Annual Southern Oregon Kite Festival July 17th, 18th, and 19th, 2020 Hope to see you there! 02 03 04 05 Alfred Washington (aka “The Dancin’ Man”) (1951-2018) How do you capture the essence of a man who drew people in by the flash of his smile or the way he moved across the sand? His appeal was greater than the mechanics of his kiteflying and larger than the sky he filled with the smooth moves of his kite’s favorite black and white tail. It was his expres- sion of so much joy. Al’s outlook on life and flying enticed people to join in the celebration he expressed every time he flew. It was hard not to find yourself dancing along with him. You could see the toes start wiggling in the crowds, caught up with Al in the moment—they were experiencing the joy right along with him. It was this ability that earned him the names “Twinkle Toes” and “The Dancin’ Man.” Al was one of the founders of the Invisible Wind Kite Team. His team members quickly recog- nized his love of music as an asset to their routines and performances. Invisible Wind Kite Team was a masters-level team competing in The World Cup Competitions in Australia and Long Beach, Washing- ton. Al and the team were known for their classic style and were a crowd favorite as they competed and performed throughout the Northwest in a variety of events. He also competed as an individual and was a respected judge for the American Kitefliers Association. Watching Al’s skills, you were sure that he was controlling the dual line with every dance move he made. His grandson, Aaron Washington, Jr., was only six years old when his grandpa first taught him to fly a dual-line kite. After he crashed it over and over, Al shared his flying philosophy, saying: “Let the kite do what it wants. Just guide it.” Grandson Aaron was hooked from that moment on. Aaron said that growing up with his grandpa inspired him to be just like him. He studied his moves, his style, and the way he “guided” the kites. Years later, when Aaron traveled to the Southern Oregon Kite Festival with Al, he broke out his new routine to Michael Jackson’s music while the Dancin’ Man looked on. The crowd loved it, and as Aaron walked up to his grandpa afterwards, he heard him say, “Wow! Aaron! Wow!” Three simple words held so much inspiration, and love. That was Al. Al brought this gift everywhere he went. He inspired new pilots of all ages to take the chance and share their skills. He often gave up his demo spots and would tell a young flyer to get out there and fly, even when they didn’t think they were ready. That smile would flash, and they found themselves on the demo field. For Al, everyone he met was family. He didn’t have to say much to you to make you feel that way. He would smile and you just felt it. Aaron said that some of the best advice he got from his grand- pa was to be patient and to always think before you speak…and sometimes not to speak. Just dance and fly. The skies will always be dancing, and Al will continue to guide our kites. Thanks Dancin’ Man. Amy Doran with Aaron Washington Jr. and Eric Forsberg. Reprinted with permission of Kiting magazine, Spring 2019, with the help of Daniel Prentiss. Photo by Lori Robinson Al Washington with His Grandson & Son 06 07 The Organizers Meet Your Flyers Aaron Washington -------------- 45 The SOKF Producers Southern Oregon Kite Festival Committee Alexa King ----------------------- 82 Erin Greene, LaVeeta Bailey, Roberta Black, Amy Doran ---------------------- 54 Eleanor Cook, Ron Gibian, Susan Mitchell, Arnold Stellema ----------------- 18 Marihelen Pitts-Campbell, Michael Pitts-Campbell, Barry Nash ----------------------- 69 Vickee DeLadurantey, Kathy Neuman, Victor Ortega, Brett Morris ----------------- ---- 57 Cindy Thrall, Tim Young, and Steve O’Brien Connor Doran ------------------- 54 David Colbert -------------- ---- 60 2019 Festival Program Jon and Titis Carlson (JccMedia.com) Deb Lenzen --------------------- 61 Design and Production Diane Morris -------------------- 21 Dylan & Cardin Nguyen --- ----- 57 2019 Festival Logo Design Leanne Spivey Eli Russell ------------------------ 65 Gary MacEachern --------------- 15 Children’s Kite-Building The Rogue Valley Windchasers Gordon Osterlund ---------- ---- 69 Workshops SOKF Volunteers James Christman ---------------- 57 Jerimy Colbert ------------------ 64 Traffic Control Victor Ortega John Quitugua------------------- 71 SOKF Volunteers Kenny Osterlund ---------------- 70 Lindsey Johnson------------ ----- 39 Transportation Curry Public Transit Mike Shaw ------------------- --- 64 Sound System Ed Ajimine of Northcoast Rob Pratt ------------------------ 65 Rod & Cindy Thrall ---------- --- 19 Audio and Pro Sound Ron Bohart ---------------------- 66 Ron Gibian ---------------------- 14 Festival and Auction Arnold Stellema Ronda Brewer--------------- ---- 39 Announcer Sam King ------------------------ 82 Sandy Gibian -------------------- 21 Program Photos Lori S. Robinson, Jon Carlson Scott Hampton ------------- ---- 56 Susan Shampo------------------- 33 Other Very Important People, SOKF Volunteers Spencer Watson ------------- --- 44 Without Whom This Festival Team Island Quad Pilots -------- 80 Would Not Have Been Possible Wayne Griffith --------------- --- 31 08 09 Leanne Spivey I moved to Oregon in 1999 from Alaska and immediately fell in love with the entire vibe of Oregon, it’s one of the friendliest places on earth and the beauty of the ocean, mountains, trees, and people really inspires everything creative in my soul. I feel so blessed to live in an environ- ment that inspires me to share my creativity in so many outlets; from painting rocks, drawing, water colors, paper crafting, and digital paper designs, you name it I’ve prob- ably tried it. Now that I’m a stay at home mom at the age of 54, and have a dedicated craft room thanks to my very 1026 Chetco Avenue Brookings, OR supportive husband, I get a lot of joy from sharing my artistic creations with friends and family. I have a Facebook page: Reedeemed Designs, to promote healthy artistic expres- sion where I post my own and some of my oldest son’s artwork. 541-469-7471 westwardinn.com Connor Doran-Indoor Kite Fly 10 11 WHAT IS THE SOUTHERN OREGON KITE FESTIVAL? Rules & Regulations 1. Have Fun!! One of Oregon’s most unique events, the Southern Oregon Kite Festival is held at the Port of Brookings 2. Keep off the kite field at all times; there are lines Harbor on the third weekend in July. This year marks the 26th year the kite festival has been held in this seaside community. This free two-day “one of a kind” festival attracts nationally and internationally on the field that could harm you or a kite if you renowned kite flyers and kite makers to Oregon’s southern coast. got tangled in them. This invitational event originated in 1993 as the dream of kite enthusiast Steve O’Brien and as the 3. Obey security and festival personnel, for your creation of Larry and Lynn Goodman, former owners of KCRE radio station in Crescent City, California. safety and safety of others. In 2001 the Port of Brookings Harbor assumed sponsorship of the festival. Since 2006 the kite festival has been organized by a dedicated group of volunteers from the Brookings-Harbor community. 4. If you are lost or you have lost someone or something, inform the HQ tent. Every flyer who is invited to participate in the Kite Festival is a guest of the community. Generous donations from businesses and citizens of Brookings-Harbor and the Wild Rivers Coast area contribute 5. Have a great day and enjoy the show! to bringing more than thirty premier kite flyers to the area. Transportation, accommodations, and meals are provided to the invited flyers. In turn, the kite flyers produce a fabulous two-day extravaganza for the community and its guests.