Tens of thousands of Chinese people came together in Weifang, Shandong Province from Sep 26 to Oct 8 for the International Kite Festival. Since 1984, this festival has been held once a year in Weifang, also known as the World Kite Capital.
The event has invited kite-flying lovers and traditional craftsmen from across the country to show off their skills and develop kite culture. People can enjoy kite flying shows during the festival. From animals to cartoon heroes, the kites form different shapes in the air.
The most interesting kites in 2020 were the huge ones in the shape of medical workers and the Long March 5 rocket, which showed the hot topics in 2020, and also carried people's wishes of health, happiness and peace. "Doctors and nurses worked hard against COVID-19, so we made kites with their pictures to show our thanks," said Zhang Huagang, a kite lover at the festival.
In the past thirty years, ▲ , which is not only a place to enjoy kites, but also a special cultural event to encourage international communication. In 2019, more than 100 teams from 65 countries took part in it. Because of the COVID-19, overseas teams showed their kites online in 2020.
Guilherme Linares, a kite lover from Brazil, took part in the festival for the fourth time. "Flying a kite is like flying your dream." he said. "Here you can meet many kite makers and flyers from all over the world. It is interesting to communicate experiences with them."