An annual kite-making competition will return this Easter weekend after a nine-year hiatus.

Live music and a rich community atmosphere for people who wish to take part in long-held traditions have been promised for the Good Friday Kite Festival.

Eugene Dean, of the Emperial Group, the event’s producer, said that the festival’s return will include a fishcake competition alongside the kite celebration.

He added: “This is an opportunity for mentorship. There’s a lot of talk about the role of men in families and here’s a chance for fathers, for uncles, for godfathers, for cousins to step up and help the young people.”

The Good Friday Kite Festival was a staple of the Easter weekend for more than 40 years and invited the public to see who could produce the most impressive handmade kites.

Mr Dean explained that the event was suspended after Chewstick, the event’s primary sponsor, suffered a massive fire to its headquarters in 2016 and was forced to pull out.

The subsequent Covid-19 pandemic, he added, kept the pause going after 2020.

However, Dion Smith, of Smith Technologies, said he agreed to step in as the sponsor for the event this year to keep the island’s Easter traditions alive.

He explained: “Making kites is something that was done a long time ago and we don’t see it as prominently as we used to.”

Mr Smith added: “When you make a kite, it takes skill, it takes art, it takes maths, it takes all of those things — and our youth are not taking it up and our community has left it.

“We found that it’s important to bring this back so we could bring our community back to a time where we could all enjoy some of the old games and different events that we had before.

“So I believe this is something that our community needs.”

The competition will be split into school, corporate and open divisions.

Schools submissions will cover primary, middle and high school levels, while the open division, which is for anyone, will offer awards for the smallest, largest and best overall kite.

Businesses involved in the corporate division will be judged on the best branded kite design and how it reflects the role the business plays in the community.

Submissions will be judged by members of the Kite Warriors club.

Mr Dean recognised that the kite festival would be one of several events taking place on Good Friday.

However, he added that the festival would include a fishcake competition, which will include chef Rodney Smith and the “Codfish King” Dale Butler among the judges.

Fishcakes will be cooked at designated areas on the beach and entries will be judged on flavour, texture, crispiness, presentation and authenticity.

Mr Dean said that Bermudian Easter traditions such as jacks, marbles, chess and a tug-o-war would be encouraged.

He added that food stalls and other businesses would be open, with all proceeds going towards the Chewstick Foundation.

Mr Dean said: “Our pride is really being able to bring this initiative back.

“It’s something that’s seen hundreds and sometimes thousands of people down on Horseshoe Bay.

“This is not just a one-and-done thing, it is very much a collaborative effort.”

The event will take place on April 3 at Horseshoe Bay from 11am to 4pm.

Mr Dean said that, because the event is public, no registration is necessary.

He also thanked Belco for its work towards maintaining safety during kite-flying season.