Eminent kite flyers from across the world, as well as renowned singers and artists, will gather from May 6 to 7 at the Bay of Lights in Sihanoukville for the first-ever international kite flying festival in Cambodia, named SkyFest.

At a press conference, Ian Tan, Managing Director of Canopy Sands Development (CSD), the company behind the Bay of Lights, said that SkyFest is a unique event that aims to bring together the people of Cambodia through their shared tradition and patriotism with the theme ‘Khmer Can Fly.’ International teams from nine countries, including Cambodia, will fly kites of all shapes and sizes at the event.

The festival will feature the first-ever Khmer art sand sculpture, water activities by the Cambodian jetski team, and live music from renowned artists such as Tep Boprek, Suly Pheng, Morm Picherith, Intan Andriana & Euan Gray, as well as powerhouse deejays, DJ Vutha, DJ Maily, and DJ Chill Bill.

There will also be performances from Cambodia’s world-famous art school and circus, Phare Ponleu Selpak, with their world-class acrobats interpreting the ‘Khmer Can Fly’ theme.

The event is anticipated to draw more than 10,000 visitors to the future township of the 934-hectare coastal development project, Bay of Lights. It is also part of CSD’s efforts to bring more activities to Sihanoukville and make the coastal city more tourist-friendly.

“We believe this is the right time to hold this event, just after the Khmer New Year and before the monsoons set in,” Tan noted, hoping that the event can be organized every year from now on.

The inspiring slogan ‘Khmer Can Fly’ endeavors to encourage future generations to reach for the skies and exceed expectations. Co-organized by Kilat Events Co., Ltd., SkyFest seeks to keep the Khmer tradition of kite-flying alive.

As part of CSD’s corporate social responsibility efforts, the festival will also see the participation of students from Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh in various activities. SkyFest seeks to educate the students on the importance of cultural appreciation and inspire them with Khmer kite designs showcased on a global stage.

Attendees can join the Khmer kite flying workshop, bring their own kite designs, and enter the design contest. Prizes of $500 (public entry submissions) and $300 (students’ entry submissions) are up for grabs.

In addition to Cambodian traditional kite flyers, international teams from eight countries, including Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, France, China, and the Philippines will take part in the event. Each team will showcase various kite types, sizes, and shapes.

Additionally, SkyFest will provide visitors the opportunity to learn kite-making as part of the ‘Khmer Can Fly’ experiential journey. There will be an array of savory foods to sample at the all-day food market with over 20 F&B brands in attendance.

Tickets can be purchased on the LIVE app by Wonderpass for $2.50 per day entry.

For more information, please visit Bay of Lights’ official Facebook event page or join the Telegram channel https://t.me/bayoflights.