CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Enthusiasts flew kites of all shapes and sizes Sunday at a South African festival that raises awareness for mental health and provides a burst of color on the beach.

The Cape Town International Kite Festival is celebrating its 30th year, with participants traveling from the United States, Tunisia and beyond.

They ranged from seasoned pros — there is such a thing as professional kitesurfers, according to organizer Barbara Meyer — to kids who jumped on the sand with kites fluttering above them.

Kite designs include “Finding Nemo”-inspired fish, blue dragons, yellow lizards and a green, wavy jellyfish. An inventive entrant was a kite in the shape of a parachutist. Another was a giant hand flying above the spectators, flapping in the wind.

October is Mental Health Month in South Africa. Meyer said the festival is an important fundraiser for Cape Mental Health, an organization that provides mostly free counseling to anyone who needs it in the Cape Town area.

She said the kites reflect a motto: “No matter how fragile the string seems, a person can use it to hold a kite as big as a house.”

She said the past few years have been difficult for many with the mental scars of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially young people.

“There were so many different layers that COVID brought to people,” she said. “People have lost family members. The problem of isolation and blockages made the situation worse. There were also a lot of job losses and a lot of people came in and asked for help.”

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