IRON MOUNTAIN — KOALA will be on Lake Antoine on Saturday, Feb. 26. No, not a furry arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia. KOALA stands for Kites Over Awesome Lake Antoine.

Lake Antoine Park Partners has spent the last four years listening to visitors to the Dickinson County park and campground.

“They wanted more organized events to do at the park whether or not they were camping,” said vice president Doni-Mae B. Rauch. “We have spent a lot of enjoyable hours putting things together for people to try.”

The start of LAPP’s 2022 calendar has brought an outdoor mid-winter event featuring giant show kites for the entire family to enjoy. KOALA has been organized by the LAPP volunteers, the Wisconsin Kiters Club and funded by local businesses.

“It is a free community event thanks to our sponsors,” said Barb Kramer who, with Chow Chong of the giant kite flying group based in Two Rivers, Wis., has spent months getting ready for the daytime event.

The day will start with a free Kids Kite-Building Workshop at 9 a.m. Vision Source is sponsoring the limited number of kite kits for children to assembly in Pavilion 1 and fly on the lake’s ice at the park and then take home with them.

The fun on the lake will really get underway with giant kites flying overhead starting at 11 a.m. and continue with a candy drop by Coldwell Banker Real Estate Group put together by Carrie Toretta-Partello.

The summer events can be seen on YouTube 2021 Kites Over Lake Michigan – YouTube

“You do not need to bring a lunch with you,” noted Allison Lucier, second term president of LAPP. “Strong Tower Church will have hot food for sale starting at 11 a.m. in Pavilion 1.”

Pavilion 1 will also feature KOALA merchandise — pins, beanies and headbands — and a place to get warmed up if needed, until the event is scheduled to close at 4 p.m. Funds raised will be used to hold more family-based events like the inaugural FallFest and ‘Lights At The Lake’ in 2021.

“We appreciate the ideas, manpower and donations from businesses in our community,” said LAPP board treasurer Ann Hruska. Additional financial and manpower donors include Bacco Construction, First Bank, Days Inn of Iron Mountain, BOSS Snowplow, Stenberg Bros., G. Brooks Electric, The Pasty Oven, and Imagination Factory Children’s Museum.