At the 43rd Weifang Int'l Kite Festival, anything can fly!

Thousands of kites filled the sky at the World Kite Park in Weifang, east China's Shandong Province, in a spectacular display. Shaped like sharks, robot dogs, the Weifang Elephant, and an ancient trilobite stretching over 130 meters, the kites wowed spectators with their creative designs.

The 43rd Weifang International Kite Festival and the 2026 Weifang Kite Carnival kicked off on April 18 at the World Kite Park. About 260 kite teams from 57 countries and regions, including Italy, Russia, South Korea, and India, gathered to celebrate kite culture.

Weifang, known as the "World Capital of Kites," has a kite-making history of more than 2,000 years, with highly refined craftsmanship. The city's kite industry currently generates annual sales of over 2 billion yuan ($29.24 million), with exports to more than 50 countries and regions, accounting for over 80 percent of the global market.