A dragon kite being displayed at the kite festival held as part of the Beypore International Water Fest in Kozhikode on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: K. Ragesh

Thousands gathered at Beypore and Chaliyam beaches on Saturday (January 4) for the fourth edition of the Beypore International Water Festival. The event saw significant participation.

The festival featured a range of activities and competitions. It opened with sit-on-top kayaking at the Beypore breakwater, with separate categories for men, women, and mixed groups. A kite festival at Beypore Beach showcased a variety of kites, including animal shapes, national symbols, and power kites. Around 50 kite flyers from 10 states participated under the One India Kite Team.

Demonstrations of flying boards and dinghy boat races involving local fishers were held at the Breakwater. Paramotoring was introduced this year, with gliders taking off from Chaliyam Beach and landing at Beypore Beach. Surfing and net-throwing competitions were also held.

Meanwhile, the two ships, INS Cabra of the Indian Navy and ICGS Anagh of the Indian Coast Guard were opened to the public. Visitors explored onboard exhibits, including firearms, safety gear, and machinery. A flypast by Dornier aircraft of the Coast Guard attracted attention.

A drone show was held at the Beypore Marina later in the evening, followed by a musical programme led by playback singer K.S. Harishankar. At the same time, another musical programme led by playback singer Jyotsna Radhakrishnan was held at Chaliyam Beach.

The fest will conclude on Sunday (January 5). Actors Basil Joseph and Soubin Shahir are expected to take part in the valedictory function at Beypore Beach at 7.30 p.m. on Sunday.