The third annual Windscape Kite Festival will take place on Saturday, June 23 and Sunday, June 24, 2007 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., west of the Highland Subdivision on Battleford Trail off Highway #4 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. This year's festival promises a fantastic collection of some of the most unique kites North America has to offer. "Windscape 2007 will be even bigger and better than last year's event," noted festival coordinator Shann Gowan. "We've got some fantastic guest flyers bringing wonderful kites and performances to Windscape."

The kite artists and flyers lined up for this year are award-winning flyers from across North America. David Gomberg is an accomplished flyer and international traveler known for his super large "show kites"; the international quad line stunt team, Team iQuad, will feature amazing synchronized multi-line stunt kite performances by David Hathaway, Steve de Rooy, Todd Rudolph, and John Barresi; and Richard and Georgean Curran are single line kite builders and flyers with very original, uniquely styled kites. The festival will also welcome back a number of artists from across the prairie provinces, who have attended previous festivals, such as the Winnipeg Traction Kite Club and Raj Hathiramani, who performs with seven dual-line stunt kites in tandem.

"This festival offers a unique opportunity for the public to actually fly alongside these superstar flyers," Gowan explained. "It's a really fantastic time." The public is invited to bring a kite to fly at the festival, or to purchase one there. There will also be kite making workshops, among a variety of other children's activities.

"The festival caters a great deal to children," noted Gowan. "Part of what the festival is about is a chance for us to educate people about visual art. By educating the children of the community, we ensure that we have an audience for years to come."

Some of the activities offered for children include face painting, "bol" races, balloons, a bubble station, paper airplanes, a candy drop, magic show, and even a one-man band. Gowan encourages families to come out and see what the festival has to offer.

"Kite-flying is a clean, healthy activity that includes everyone," said Gowan. "You can just be a spectator and enjoy viewing beautiful things in the sky, or you can be an active participant and fly multi-line kites that can actually be quite physically demanding. There is really something for everyone at Windscape."

Windscape Kite Festival is held in conjunction with Long Day's Night Music Festival. Held under a big-top tent in the field west on Battleford Trail in Swift Current, Long Day's Night Music Festival promises another impressive line-up of performers for a fantastic auditory experience. The festival opens on Thursday, June 21, with a performance by KlezMerovitz, Calgary's new Eastern European, folk roots Jewish party band. The Megan Lane Band will perform next, on Friday, June 22. Megan's blues, jazz and soul sound combines her own unique style with the influences of Jimi Hendrix, Fiona Apple, Jonny Lang and Jeff Buckley. Five Alarm Funk is a Vancouver-based, twelve-piece rhythm machine that delivers a delirium-inducing live show fuelled by original funk and afro-beat grooves, and will perform on Saturday, June 23.

Thanks to fantastic community and corporate support, such as from Roger Mirka, RBC Securities Investment Advisor, admission to Windscape is free. To volunteer or for more information, please call Shann at 306.778.2686 or you can also find further information on the web:

http://www.artgalleryofswiftcurrent.org
http://www.tourismswiftcurrent.ca