A turtle, a gorilla and a whale soared over Lake Hood for the South Island Kite Tour.
The event was held on Waitangi Day and drew scores of people.
Kitefliers from New Zealand, Australia and the United States were at Lake Hood.
They flew a kettle of colourful, different-shaped creations, including penguins, tigers, stingrays, and a dragon.
New Zealand Kitefliers Association (NZKA) committee member Anne Whitehead of Ashburton said at Lake Hood there were 20 kitefliers present from the tour.
Those from New Zealand had come from Ashburton, Napier, Christchurch, Wellington and Nelson.
The stop was part of a series of kite days in Canterbury.
Lake Hood attracted people young and old as spectators too.
Some took the chance to fly their own kites, either bought on site, or from home, but most were keen just to watch the colourful display of kites as they took to the skies.
Whitehead, and husband Peter, had a collection of kites on site, including a pair of 4m-long penguins, a 6m-long NZKA Bear – attending its 41st kite festival – and a 4.2m long astronaut, the Whiteheads’ latest acquisition.
NZKA Bear was made by Peter Lynn Kites of Ashburton complete with a custom-made T-shirt with NZKA logo added, Whitehead said.
