PHOTOS: Detroit Kite Festival raises spirits at Belle Isle

The 2023 Detroit Kite Festival took flight on Belle Isle on Sunday, filling the sky with color. This year’s festival welcomed the return of the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the event continues to be summertime’s sweetest meet-up promising the fun, friends, and food that festival-goers have come to know and love. 

Attendees built their own kites at the DIA-sponsored Kite Creation tent and there was also a Kite Repair tent to fix broken kites. Photographer Kahn Santori Davison was on hand to capture the joy.

Lex Draper Garcia Bey organized this year’s event, with co-director Sophiyah Elizabeth. 

“Earlier this year I saw that the former founder and director needed to step away to pursue other endeavors,” Bey said. “I love the festival so much that I could stand the idea of coming and it didn’t feel like the festival that I have come to love. […] I am more than satisfied with the turnout, especially with the rain that happen this morning.”

Mark McClelland is one of hundreds of kite fliers who attended, and his skeleton kite drew a lot of attention. 

“It’s unique, it’s different, I like it a lot,” he said. “It’s got the Day of the Dead design on the head there. I have an even bigger kite in the car but it’s not space for it here.”

The festival also featured the aerial kite displays of the WindJammer International Kite Team, which has been operated for 40 years.