Brookings is a remarkable festival. Where else can you go to a kite event and the spectators come out the night before to reserve prime viewing spaces along the performance field??

I've described the Brookings event before as more of a �showcase� than a traditional �festival�. The fields are small, the crowd pulls up lawn chairs along the paved edge, and the invitation-only fliers take turns performing or parading kites across the arena.

It takes some effort to set up a collection of kites for a five-minute walk-through. But the single-line crew seldom gets that kind of attention at other events. The sport kiters love the �rock-star� status. And the worst I can say is that the smaller field is no place for giant show kites.

Special guests teams were IQuad and the SunDowners. Sport kiters included Al Washington, Nathan Ostovar, Gary MacEachern, Penny Lingenfelter, Ron Despojado, Steve Blasdale, Amy Doran, Susan Shampo, and Al Stroh. Kite artists were Ron and Sandy Gibean, John and Mary Gaby, Ellen Pardee, Bazz Poulter, Ronda Brewer and Lindsey Johnson, Rod and Cindy Thrall, and the Gombergs. Announcing all weekend long, was well handled by Arnold Stellema.

Drop by the Forum and let us knoiw what you thought of this update or the festival. Questions welcome too!

IQuad seemed to have the easiest time in the lighter mid-day winds. But the Sundowners proved to be equal crowd pleasers as the breeze picked up later in the day. And for a grand finale, both teams performed a hybrid routine together.

Gary MacEachern did a one-man team performance with three of his Gulls. Sunday afternoon, he attempted three full Sundowner stacks

The Southern Oregon Coast is spectacular, and the hospitality we receive in this small town makes the event a very special one. The community works very hard to select and present the best kiters from the western states and make them feel genuinely appreciated.