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A dragon-shaped kite flies in the air at the 41st International Kite Festival in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
WEIFANG, China (AP) - More than 1,000 kites filled the skies of Weifang, an eastern Chinese coastal city that touts itself as the "kite capital of the world," on Saturday. Locals say there is nothing that can't sail the skies of Weifang.
From dragons to pandas, modern cars to mythical characters from a canonical Chinese novel, kite craftsmen and aficionados showcased their latest art at the Weifang International Kite Festival.
Kite-makers say the craftsmanship has evolved over the years, with nylon fabrics becoming more common at the expense of traditional materials such as paper and silk. Modern craftsmanship also means kite-makers are boasting more elaborate, complex and bigger designs, among them a centipede kite measuring 70 meters (230 feet) in length.
Participants prepare a kite during the 41st International Kite Festival in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
Participants fly kites during the 41st International Kite Festival in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
Kites fly during the 41st International Kite Festival in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
A car-shaped kite prepares to lift at the 41st International Kite Festival in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
Kitemaker Liu Zhijiang prepares a kite at his workshop in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
A participant flies a kite at the 41st International Kite Festival in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
Participants fly a kite during the 41st International Kite Festival in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
A kite vendor waits for customers at the 41st International Kite Festival in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
Visitors watch kites fly at the 41st International Kite Festival in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
A panda-shaped kite flies at the 41st International Kite Festival in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
A worker paints a kite at a workshop in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
A man gives air to panda-shaped kite during the 41st International Kite Festival in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
A participant sits under a kite during the 41st International Kite Festival in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
Participants fly a kite at the 41st International Kite Festival in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
A pig-shaped kite flies at the 41st International Kite Festival in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
A participant rests during during the 41st International Kite Festival in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
Kites lie on the ground during the 41st International Kite Festival in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
Kitemaker Tan Xinbo displays a kite at a workshop in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
Workers stitch kites at a workshop in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
A visitor poses in front of a giant kite at the 41st International Kite Festival in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
Workers stitch kites at a workshop in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
A visitor rests in the shade of an umbrella during the 41st International Kite Festival in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
Workers prepare kites at workshop in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
Workers stitch kites at a workshop in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
Participants fly a kite at the 41st International Kite Festival in Weifang, Shandong Province of China, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
