The 29th Treasure Island Kite Festival made its long-awaited return this weekend, marking another key milestone in the community's recovery from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.WATCH: Treasure Island Kite Festival returns after hur ricane hiatus, boosting local businesses Treasure Island Kite Festival returns after hurricane hiatusThe festival was canceled last year, along with other major events like Sanding Ovations, as the barrier island community worked to rebuild after the devastating storms left many residents and business owners picking up the pieces of their homes and livelihoods."Six months ago, we didn't know if the event was gonna happen," said Torrey Lindemann, Treasure Island Kite Festival's organizer. The return of large-scale events that drive thousands of dollars into the local economy is providing a much-needed boost to area businesses still recovering from hurricane damage.Brittany Feizulov owns Curious Soul Bakery, which opened in July after delays caused by the hurricanes. The bakery normally has a line out the door when it opens, but having events like the Kite Festival back is making a significant impact on their business."We're over a year from the hurricane now, so I feel like things are definitely getting up and running. I know there are some businesses that are still struggling," Feizulov said.She estimated the festival brought about a 30% uptick in business, even on a colder weekend."I feel like the events at Treasure Island are definitely bringing more people to the island, more people to the businesses. So I think it's a positive that they're doing that," Feizulov said.The increased tourism was evident throughout the area, with hotels packed and local restaurants bustling."The hotels were packed. If they had any rooms left, you know, it's maybe only one or two," Feizulov said. "We were at Ricky T's across the street last night, and it was jam-packed. Having the kite festival really helps fill it out and make a big difference."This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. ...read more read less