DECATUR - Cindy Laegeler has a busy summer ahead of her but was glad to have a break Saturday to watch hundreds of kites filling the air above Progress City USA.

"It's fun to see everyone out here," said Laegeler, Progress City's chief operating officer.

The Decatur Association of Realtors' third annual Kite Fest kicked off a summer of events at the home of the Farm Progress Show while organizers prepare for the first run of the agricultural showcase in Boone, Iowa. Decatur will rotate with Boone to host the show every other year over the next two decades.

Despite not having Farm Progress this year, Laegeler plans to keep Progress City buzzing with activity.

"We're going to be hoppin', " Laegeler said.

Kite Fest was just the start of a busy spring, with some of the upcoming events - Woofstock on May 3 and the AKC Dog Agility Trial May 9 to 11 - featuring dogs.

The first Monthly Marketplace, with an array of arts, crafts, antiques and items from area businesses, is scheduled May 4. Monthly Marketplace will be a revamped version of Sunday Flea Markets, which were held since Progress City was built in 2005 but were canceled at the end of last year.

"We're pretty excited about it this year," Laegeler said. "A lot of vendors said to try again. We want to make it work."

The Prairieland ABATE chapter will present Prairie Fest on May 23 and 24, with a motorcycle and car show plus live music.

Denene Wilmeth, executive director of the Decatur Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said attracting events to Progress City in the Farm Progress off year is important to the site.

"It's good to have somebody out there all the time, but that's unrealistic," Wilmeth said. "Any business that you have out there in the off years is going to help pay for the place and keep it going. Any business that they have is great business."

Much of the work during the off year focuses on maintaining and upgrading the site, Laegeler said.

"The off year allows us to get the grass back in shape," Laegeler said. "Until we get it established, it's nice to have those off years to try and get the site itself improved. The site is still really new."

The Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association's Conservation Expo will return in August, Laegeler said. The expo not only is a chance to demonstrate new techniques for owners to take care of their land but a chance to improve the land in and around Progress City, Laegeler said.

"They want to show people what they can do on their land," Laegeler said. "They're actually doing the practice, and at the same time, we benefit greatly from the improvements they make."

Laegeler said such improvement work wouldn't be possible in the years the Farm Progress Show is in town.

The site's infrastructure already makes it an ideal place for outdoor events, Wilmeth said.

"That area out there is pretty adaptable to almost anything," Wilmeth said. "It just has a lot of possibilities for any kind of event that is held outdoors. It's new construction. A lot of places don't have the facilities and infrastructure Progress City has."

Organizers of Kite Fest praised the improvements made to the site in the past year.

"Progress City is a great facility for things like this," said John Fay, one of Kite Fest's organizers. "It has everything we need. The city would be wise if it can figure out more ways to use it for things like this."

The site is ideal for kite flying because it has 80 acres of open space without overhead wires, said Michael Sexton, another of the organizers.

Progress City now has paved roads, which allows people to park inside the fenced gates. The gates help when events are held that charge admission, Laegeler said.

Laegeler is pleased with the slate of events she has booked for 2008 but hopes to add more. She's already looking at possibilities for upcoming years.

"I'm already working on a number of things for 2009, 2010, 2011," Laegeler said. "You just don't get things here quickly. The bigger events book out."

The next Farm Progress Show in Decatur is scheduled Aug. 25 to 27, 2009.

Chris Lusvardi can be reached at clusvardi@herald-review.com or 421-7972.