Carrie Nation is quite the figure in history. A shining example of temperance, the 6’0” Carrie joined the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, attempting to reign in the United States’ excessive alcohol consumption in the late 1800s. All this was prior to the 18th Amendment, or prohibition, in 1920, so Carrie felt she was fighting an uphill battle. Nation took things a step further than the Christian Temperance Union was prepared for, and began destroying bars and pubs with a hatchet! Carrie was arrested over 32 times for her crimes, thus becoming a notorious figure in the region. Her staunch religious stance on alcohol and drinking earned her a reputation that maintains itself through to today, so the city of Belton honored Carrie Nation with a drone show for Carry Nation Days!
Carry Nation Days is an event the Belton Parks and Recreation Department puts on each summer, with this year’s venue attracting approximately 4,000 people. There were four beer gardens, axe throwing ranges, a car show, and live music, along with many food trucks and vendors. Skyworx brought 300 drones to Belton to make what was already a memorable event shine even brighter, and we are proud to have worked with the city to create such an awesome venue for the community. “It was the town’s first show,” said Alden Skeie, the pilot in command. “Most people I spoke with had never seen a drone show before, so it was fun to see the awe.”
Designing the show had its own needs specific to the venue, as the 300 drones had less space to fly in than we typically design for. “This was a fun challenge though,” said Megumi Ikeda, the show’s designer. “It allowed for more creative transitions and animations than I would have typically come up with. Running into technical and logistical challenges is an inevitable part of designing drone shows, but it’s fascinating to see how those limitations can also help develop imaginative solutions.” Our team was up to the task, and created a stunning show that met the needs of the clients, while delivering a comical and historic flare. We’re honored to have been picked by Belton to put on the region’s first show.
