Wind, cold and occasional rain couldn’t keep thousands of people from celebrating Good Friday at Horseshoe Bay yesterday.KiteFest, put together by the Chewstick Foundation, marked the holiday with kite and fishcake competitions, along with live music and entertainment.Organiser Gavin Smith said he had been worried about the weather, but was happy to discover the beach was largely protected from the winds.While he estimated the turnout was smaller than last year due to the weather, he said he was pleased by the turnout and the atmosphere at the event.The event had faced cancellation earlier this month due difficulty in getting the necessary permits from the Parks Department.Despite a tight deadline, the event was given approval and was able to go ahead with the support of the Government, and sponsors including Keytech, BTC and Logic.“I’m really grateful that everything was able to come together,” Mr Smith said. “There were things we would rather have done sooner, but everything seems to have worked out well.”Mr Smith said KiteFest is the kind of event that could become an international signature for the Island that draws visitors to Bermuda.“This is one of the biggest events on the Bermuda calender, and it is a unique event that showcases Bermudian culture,” he said. “We had a lot of visitors come down to check it out.“For our fishcake competition, one of our judges was from New Jersey. He had never had a fishcake before. He had nothing to go on other than the taste.“Everyone who came down here was having a great time, and that’s what this is all about. Bringing people together from all over, and having them let their hair down.”Minister of Planning and Environment Sylvan Richards said yesterday that he was glad to see all the elements come together to create a memorable event for the public.“Good Friday is a Bermuda tradition, and KiteFest has become a tradition on Good Friday,” Mr Richards said. “We all came together because we wanted this event to go forward and here we are.“It’s great. There aren’t a lot of kites in the air, but there are a lot of kites here. It’s all very peaceful, and people are enjoying the sun and the breeze and the fishcakes.”The high winds and occasional showers kept most traditional Bermuda kites out of the air, but store-bought kites depicting sharks, owls and cartoon characters filled the sky.And while most attendees kept their jackets on, a few brave souls did take to the water.Zico Mello said that he usually stays in St David’s for Good Friday, but decided to try Horseshoe Bay for the first time this year to be with his friends — and to try his luck at the fishcake competition.“It has been a bit of a change for me, but definitely worth it,” he said. “I’m very pleased. There’s a lot going on, loads of people. All I could ask for is a little more sun.”Lauren White also said the weather was a disappointment, but the social aspect of the event made it worth getting a little wet.“I’ve seen just about everyone I know on the Island,” she said. “It’s great to see so many people come out together to celebrate anything, even if you have to keep an eye out for falling kites.”