New wings have taken flight in Downtown DeLand. The award-winning “Wings of the West” trail recently got its seventh set of wings, unveiled last month on the seventh anniversary of the original wings on Sept. 22, 2014.
This newest installment of the wings series is right next to the original set on Persimmon Lane in historic Downtown DeLand, according to a news release. These mini-wings are nearly identical to the first wings, just sized down for kids and fur-children.
The “Wings of the West” is a collaboration between the West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority (WVTAA) and artist-in-residence and DeLand native Erica Group. Group said she has been encouraged to create mini-wings for years, and when her son Russ turned 2 years old, she decided it was time.
“I realized there are so many parents, and pet parents, out there who would love to take photos of their child in front of the wings but can’t because of their size,” said Group in the release. “I had to fix that, and what better time to do the seventh set than on the seventh anniversary of the first wings.”
Group started painting the mini-wings on the eve of the unveiling and had them ready to be revealed the next day.
The idea of the wings started as a chalk design used in a photo shoot for a local business, and turned into a social media sensation and iconic photo spot #DeLandWings.
“We are so excited to add the mini-wings to the ‘Wings of the West’ Trail,” Executive Director Georgia Turner of WVTAA said in the news release. “So many people have already taken flight on the trail, while visiting some of West Volusia’s most popular attractions. The new wings just add to the creative and quirky elements that make West Volusia the unique destination that it is.”
TRYING THEM ON — Artist Erica Group has to scrunch a bit to fit in front of the newest set of wings, which are smaller to better accommodate children and fur-babies.
Each set of wings on the trail represents something special about the location in which it is found.
The “Wings of the West” trail consists of:
1. DeLand Wings – Downtown DeLand on Persimmon Lane, DeLand
2. Biplane Wings – Skydive DeLand, 1600 Flightline Blvd., DeLand
3. Peacock Wings – Barberville Pioneer Settlement, 1776 Lightfoot Lane, Barberville
4. Fairy Wings – Fairy Trail trailhead at intersection of Seneca and Chauncey streets, Cassadaga
5. Scrub Jay Wings – Lyonia Environmental Center, 2150 Eustace Ave., Deltona
6. Swallow-Tailed Kite Wings – Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge, 2045 Mud Lake Road, DeLeon Springs
For more information, visit the “Wings of the West” Mural Trail. Go to WVTAA’S website — visitwestvolusia.com — and click on the “What to Do” tab.
