Colourful skies ahead of Cape Town Kite Festival
Jean- Louis Castanier from France, battled with his turtle as it would not soar into the sky
Image: TARA ISAACS
Professor Ingrid Daniels, Chief Executive Officer of Cape Mental Health
Image: TARA ISAACS
Kites of all shapes and sizes soared the air over Dolphin Beach
Image: TARA ISAACS
Alice and Lambert Romuald, are from France and they represented their team called, Anim' En ' L'air (animated in the air)
Image: TARA ISAACS
The flying pig, an octopus, and a lizard, had a lovely view of the iconic Table Mountain
Image: TARA ISAACS
A massive aeroplane kite was placed steadily in the beach sand and soared in the air
Image: TARA ISAACS
The skies above Dolphin Beach were alive with colour on Tuesday, October 21, as bright, twirling kites of every shape and size took flight.
From aeroplanes to a flying pig, kite makers from around the world turned the Blouberg coastline into a display of art in motion.
Among them was Gill Bloom from the United Kingdom, who smiled as she guided her handmade kite into the breeze. “It’s wonderful to create something and see it soar in the air like this,” she said.
The scene formed part of a prelude to the 31st Cape Town International Kite Festival, set to take place this weekend — Saturday, October 25, and Sunday, October 26 — at its brand-new venue, Youngsfield Military Base in Wynberg.
Professor Ingrid Daniels, CEO of Cape Mental Health, the oldest community-based mental health organisation in South Africa, said the event at Dolphin Beach marked the beginning of a weekend filled with colour, compassion, and community spirit.
“The kite festival is a very important event as it gives us an opportunity to raise awareness around mental health and speak to the masses,” said Prof. Daniels.
This year’s festival theme, “The Courage to Fly,” captures the essence of hope, bravery, and resilience, values Cape Mental Health hopes will spark meaningful conversations about mental wellness, she said.
“When you look at a kite, it’s a wonderful symbol for us. It reminds us that a very fragile object can soar, bounce, and dance in the sky. Just like that, even in our most fragile moments, we can rise.”
She said that mental health should be treated with the same care and urgency as physical health.
“The kite festival is also a way to show people living with mental health challenges that they are not alone — there are people who care.”
Other festival events include:
- Wednesday, October 22: Heideveld Community Fly at Heideveld Sports Field
- Main event: Saturday, 25 October and Sunday, October 26, at Youngsfield Military Base in Wynberg.
Now in its 31st year, the Cape Town International Kite Festival, hosted by Cape Mental Health, has become a symbol of unity, joy, and the power of community, said Prof. Daniels.
"The weekend promises spectacular show-kites from both local and international participants, family-friendly entertainment, kite-making workshops, and delicious food stalls."
Funds raised through ticket sales and the organisation’s crowdfunding campaign will go towards providing free mental health services across the Western Cape.
Tickets cost R50 to R80 and are available via Quicket.
For more information or to donate, visit www.capementalhealth.co.za/CourageToFly or follow @CTKiteFest on social media.