Cape Town International Kite Festival Returns in 2022
It is said that imagination is the highest kite one can fly, so this October Cape Mental Health invites you to rise against the wind and join in on the fun for the 28th Cape Town International Kite Festival. Taking place on 9 October 2021, bold kites will soar skywards to raise funds and promote mental wellness.
About the Cape Town International Kite Festival
The Cape Town International Kite Festival is the oldest kiting event in Africa and has been proudly hosted by Cape Mental Health since 1994, to raise funds and promote mental wellness. It is traditionally one of the biggest kite festivals on the African continent and attracts professional kiters from around the world who fund their way to Cape Town in support of Cape Mental Health (unlike other international festivals where the kiters’ travel is usually sponsored by the organisers).
How to get involved
Cape Mental Health invites everyone to view kites at Melkbosstrand beach on Sunday, 9 October (in support of World Mental Health Day on 10 October). Gather family, friends or colleagues, wear green and come and fly your dreams in the fresh air while giving hope and raising funds for Cape Mental Health.
If you’re not able to make the event in Cape Town, fans can also visit the Cape Town Kite Festival website for real-life and online activities such as community flies, an inclusive EduKite competition, interviews, activities for the little ones, an online store and more!
The theme of the 2022 Cape Town Kite Festival is #FlyYourDreams. The aim of this year’s event is to enable children to have happy dreams and a hopeful vision of themselves and their place in the world. But just like little kites that are tossed around in strong winds, children also face challenges in a world that can be risky and frightening. Research across the world has shown that even young children are experiencing anxiety and that this is the biggest mental health issue for children.
According to Dr Ingrid Daniels, CEO of Cape Mental Health and Immediate Past President of the World Federation for Mental Health, “Failure to ensure that every child and adolescent has access to emotional support and mental health services will be a failure of our society to prevent this generation from being resilient adults with good mental health.”
The inclusive EduKite competition is a kite-decorating and kite-making competition for primary school learners from mainstream schools and schools for children with special educational needs, with amazing prizes to be won! Click here for more info.