Pigs will fly Feb. 19

“Everybody needs some level of play,” says Sean Beaver of Great American Kites. “In our case, we take this 2,000-year-old toy and make it new again.”

Beaver and his company will again be flying giant kites over Waseca’s Clear Lake as part of the annual Sleigh and Cutter celebration. The event is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 19. A crew of only four people–including Beaver; his wife, Stephany; and his son Joe–will be bringing the company’s “full collection” of “several hundred kites.”  They hope to be joined by kite enthusiasts from the region, including some who will have taken part in a kite show the previous day in Clear Lake, Iowa. 

Among the hundreds of kites Beaver and his crew will be selecting from are 19 whales in various colors and sizes, a unicorn, a certain giant red dog, and, yes, a pig with wings. His largest kite, a multicolored “spinning mega-sock,” is 3 stories tall and 150 feet long. Which units make it into the sky will depend on the weather and wind conditions. “Perfect” wind, according to Beaver, is anywhere between 8 and 25 mph. 

Sleigh and Cutter organizer Ken Borgmann mentions that the decision to have the kite show again in 2023 rests on the highly positive experience in 2022. “We had essentially perfect weather,” Borgmann recalls. “We had a big crowd out watching and enjoying the sights.” Perhaps especially effective were the many comments that children seemed particularly engaged not only with the spectacle of many giant kites in the sky, but also with the excitement of watching the myriad different shapes and colors as they lifted off the ice. “It might be that adults enjoyed it, too,” Borgmann commented lightheartedly.

But whatever the weather on Feb. 19,, Beaver expects the sky over Clear Lake to be filled with color, variety, novelty and exciting possibilities. “We’re in the amazing memory business,” he says. “We offer the sort of wide appeal that will help folks get their families off the couch, off their smartphones and videogames, and get them outside experiencing something truly ‘uplifting.’ “

Regular-sized kites will be given away as prizes during the presentation; some will also be for sale. Beaver’s company, Great American Kites, is located in Polo, MO, and takes part in about 40 kite events each year across 8 states. The Iowa show will be the first of the year; his usual “season” begins in mid-March and continues through November.  Most shows are presented on open, grassy fields or beaches, rather than frozen lakes. “But we like the open space and the highly visible location,” Beaver says of Waseca’s Clear Lake. “We had a great show there last year, with a lot of enthusiastic reactions from the people who came. I was very impressed.”

Organizer Borgmann says he believes the kite show will be at least as popular this year as last; with good weather, even better. He praises Great American Kites for its cooperative approach to the show, and mentions Excel Energy as an important sponsor who helps make the show possible.