U of O Winter Games will feature lighted kites

ARNOLDS PARK, Iowa (KTIV) - A University of Okoboji Winter Games event that’s seen an explosion in popularity is coming back this year with a bit of a twist.

Steve Boote organizes the large kite flying event. He says those kites will actually by lighting the sky for the first time over Arnolds Park and Smith’s Bay...

“The LED technology has gotten to the point where they’re adding them to kites,” said Boote. “It’s been going on for a little while and it’s gaining in popularity. It seems like you see more and more of them at every event. So a lot of the flyers that are coming wanted to bring their lighted kites and I said yeah, let’s do it. It’s going to be fun.”

Boote says the lighted kites will be flying Saturday evening of the Winter Games.

“We’ll time it just before sundown and if the wind’s out of the right direction we’ll go all the way through the fireworks and the burning of the greens and keep them up there as long as we can,” said Boote.

Boote says depending upon conditions, they may also put some kites up Friday evening of Winter Games weekend. He says he is expecting more than double the number of flyers who were here last year.

The next Winter Games is scheduled for Jan. 26 through Jan. 29, 2023.