Activities in the air: Kites and sky lanterns

[mr_saturn]

I have a few questions.

What kinds of wind will we be experiencing over the weekend? Are they strong enough to fly kites?

Also, I was thinking about bringing some Sky Lanterns and while I would love to float some up and away I don't want to get in trouble or cause any problems. A sky lantern is basically a non-flammable, biodegradable paper hot air balloon made from bamboo and rice under which you ignite a flaming element that burns and causes the lantern to rise for about 5 minutes after which the fire goes out and the balloon begins to descend. http://www.skywishlanterns.com/ Any thoughts?

[Benrdsknrd]

Yes!!! Bring some sky lanterns! Awesome visuals at night and I love hearing people trying to figure out what the heck they are as they float into the sky. I don't know the official rules on these but considering they are 100% biodegradable, and they won't be flaming when they hit the ground, I can't imagine anyone having a problem with it.

[scottt]

Folks have set these off before at the fest and they're nice eye candy, but...


I can't imagine anyone having a problem with it.

You're lighting things on fire and setting them adrift on the wind in middle of 15,000 densely packed people - possibly to land in the middle of a National Forest filled with tinder, or on someone's house. How can you imagine that no one would be concerned about the possibility of something going wrong?

I would hope that if someone is confident enough in their ability to do this safely that they would a) carry sufficient insurance to cover all expenses of property damage or personal injury, b) check with the festival organizers to make sure they were OK with it.

I like seeing fireworks in the sky too, but I don't want people setting them off in crowded campgrounds.[/party pooping]

[teggers]

[/more party pooping]Sort of like the Death Eaters attacking the peaceful Quidditch match campers - wake up and your tent is on fire type of thing?

Or, it's OK if it happens to the furry animals in the forest instead of the campers waking to fire.

Or, I'm good with lighting it and watching it float away, because I'm going to hike out and get it now. In the dark. I'm watching it, and I'll go to where it settles, and if necessary I'll climb into a tree to get it. Because I don't think I should litter with a paper lantern any more than I should throw my also biodegradeable toilet paper into the trees in my front yard. Especially since it has a fire resistant holder, likely wire, that will stay in the tree long after the rest of the fancy paper bag decomposes sometime this fall or next spring.[/more party pooping]


http://www.skywishlanterns.com/sky-lantern-safety/ seems to indicate that this is a great thing to do at places other than Wakarusa. Men wearing skirts are apparently the most proficient operators, and that's OK.

The concept is great. Tie a kite string to it and retrieve it when it's burned out. Send it back up again and again until you're tired of it then put it away for the next time you want to play with it.

[mr_saturn]

all of these are good points, most of them I have taken into consideration. If people have done it before that makes me less worried about it. They are completely biodegradable, it's not wire but bamboo sticks that are used. I don't know about tying a string to it as the added weight could cause it to function improperly. They're designed to float very very high and then just disappear into the night sky.

Tough decision here.

[Pauly's Cheese]

Never a good idea to light things on fire and send them into the air above a giant National Forest.

[Benrdsknrd]

Reading the website, and having watched these things float away safely into the distance, I get the impression that these things are pretty safe. However, Scottt, your point is well taken. The last thing we want to do is risk the possibility, albeit a small one, of showering burning embers over trees and tents. They're fun to watch though, but maybe best reserved for gatherings in the desert or on the water. Perhaps, as stated above, your best option would be to contact festival organizers and get an official opinion.

[Whimsical Weddings]

All the fire stuff is a very good point. There are only two ways to get down or up the mountain. One year during a Harvest Storm trees were down and there was no escaping. With all that being said ..... how did the folks at Harvest last year get away with sending hundreds of these lights in the nights sky. They seemed to be coming from west of the mainstage. I would have thought "officials," would have stopped them.
Folks have set these off before at the fest and they're nice eye candy, but...



You're lighting things on fire and setting them adrift on the wind in middle of 15,000 densely packed people - possibly to land in the middle of a National Forest filled with tinder, or on someone's house. How can you imagine that no one would be concerned about the possibility of something going wrong?

I would hope that if someone is confident enough in their ability to do this safely that they would a) carry sufficient insurance to cover all expenses of property damage or personal injury, b) check with the festival organizers to make sure they were OK with it.

I like seeing fireworks in the sky too, but I don't want people setting them off in crowded campgrounds.[/party pooping]

[.eureka.lover.]

With all that being said ..... how did the folks at Harvest last year get away with sending hundreds of these lights in the nights sky. They seemed to be coming from west of the mainstage. I would have thought "officials," would have stopped them.


i'm pretty sure those were all made by kids in the nomadic dreams village when they had a workshop on how to make them ... they all came out to the mainstage field together and set them off. it was so amazing!

our ozark forests are pretty sufficiently soaked right now. the burn bans are off and things are downright soggy! you'd have to be really trying hard with a much bigger flame to burn anything out there at this point in time.

[Whimsical Weddings]

It was awesome. I HAD NEVER SEEN THEM BEFORE...There is just something magical about it.

[.eureka.lover.]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmP6iAESawY

someone captured this on film!

[Nash Family]

our ozark forests are pretty sufficiently soaked right now. the burn bans are off and things are downright soggy! you'd have to be really trying hard with a much bigger flame to burn anything out there at this point in time.

Good point

I retrieved a lantern (Harvest fest '10) and it was still very much smoldering (after a long flight). Way enough heat to start a fire in some dry brush. Although they are amazingly beautiful fun, I dont think there a great idea at Ozark