Dragon Boat Festival will offer free live music and entertainment, food trucks, and the largest licensed outdoor patio in B.C. June 22 - 24 in False Creek.
Photos courtesy of Dyson Media
More than 5,500 elite dragon boat racers from around the world will participate in the 2018 Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival.
A celebration of sport, arts, and culture, the 30th annual Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival, is expected to attract 100,000 spectators who will line the waterfront to watch the world’s top paddlers compete for first place.
This year’s, festival has attracted more international teams than ever before, including teams from Australia, China, Chinese Taipei, Germany, Hong Kong, Macau, the Philippines, and the United States.
The competition however, is just part of the fun. Here’s why this year’s Dragon Boat Festival is a do-not-miss summer event:
The largest outdoor beer garden in B.C.
The Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival is offering yet another way for paddlers and festival-goers to make the most of these beautiful summer days with the new Red Truck Patio, B.C.’s largest outdoor beer garden.
Measuring three-hectares (7.4 acres), Red Truck Patio offers front row seats to all the competitive racing action on the False Creek waterfront and prime spots to catch live concerts all day on the festival’s Main Stage. A selection of craft beers from Red Truck’s award-winning collection will be served throughout the three-day festival. Along with cider and wine, the all-ages venue will also offer non-alcoholic beverages.
Free live concerts at the festival Main Stage
From jazz to pop, flamenco to salsa music, the festival’s Main Stage presents three days of free concerts at Creekside Park overlooking False Creek. On Friday, there’s dancing to the reggae, rumba, and gypsy rhythms of the international Rio Samaya Band. Juno awarding-winning Rumba Calzada is back to entertain on Salsa Saturday. On Sunday, the smooth R&B of the Winston Trio leads up to Blackberry Woods, a wild mix of barn dancing and carnival-circus music.
Children’s entertainment, historic exhibitions and interactive murals
Be sure to catch the Circus West acrobats, lion dancers, clowns and street performers, who juggle, spin, balance, and perform in spontaneous acts of artistry as they roam the festival site throughout the weekend.
Back by popular demand, everyone at the festival is invited to participate with Paintillio in the creation of a giant paint-by-numbers community mural. The mural will be started and finished during the three days of the event.
In honour of its 30th anniversary and 33 years of dragon boating in Vancouver, the festival will include a longboat exhibition, including a fully restored teak dragon boat, one of six of the original dragon boats used at Expo 86.
Food truck and international delicacies
Next to the Concord Pacific Fan Zone, Vancouver’s popular food trucks will be serving an array of multicultural specialities from Jamaican and Thai dishes to dim sum and donairs.
The world’s best dragon boat teams racing for international glory
The festival kicks off at 3:00 pm June 22 on All Access Friday with the traditional Eye Dotting and Dragon Boat Blessing Ceremony. Priests and members of the congregation of the Evergreen Taoist Church are invited to False Creek to conduct this ancient and colourful ritual. Another highlight at 6:00pm is the Concord Pacific All Access Cup, an exciting 100M knockout race featuring paddlers racing to raise awareness of different charities.
The race isn’t just on the water; the charity that wins the fundraising race online will be awarded an additional $5,000 prize from Concord Pacific to support their vital work in the community.
Photos courtesy of Dyson Media
Starting at 1:30pm on International Saturday is the Concord Pacific Champions Race Series, a hotly contested race for the coveted International Cup. Starting at 12:30 pm on Championship Sunday, the pinnacle of the sport is showcased in the Grand Finals.
On-site accessibility and sustainability
The Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival offers inclusive services to increase accessibility to all its events and activities, including wheelchair seating areas, shaded accessibility areas, and gender-neutral washrooms. No cost water stations are available throughout the site.
CONCORD PACIFIC DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL
When: June 22 - 24
Where: Olympic Village near TELUS World of Science
For more information visit concorddragonboatfestival.ca
