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September 21, 2021

Ancient ceremony opens Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival; Festival diversity and safety at the core of the event’s return to Vancouver’s waters this Saturday 

Vancouver, B.C. — Ahead of dragon boat racing’s return to Vancouver this Saturday at the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival, Dragon Boat BC held a media preview on Tuesday, September 21st to provide details on the Festival’s safety protocols and Championship Weekend schedule. Province of B.C., City of Vancouver, and paddling community representatives also spoke to the importance of sport and cultural events to Vancouver and B.C.  

“This year’s program represents the Festival’s natural evolution – both as we look to our past to ground us during this period of instability, but also as we look ahead to imagine what comes next ” said Dominic Lai, Development, Marketing, and Operations Director for Dragon Boat BC, during Tuesday’s pre-event press preview at the Concord Pacific Presentation Centre.

“We’re excited to finally return to events. This will be one of the largest events since recent provincial Covid protocols were put in place. We feel that it will personify the resiliency of British Columbians” said Matt Meehan, Concord Pacific Senior Vice President. “This year’s Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival program will bring us safely together to reconnect, while showcasing the best of culture, art, and sports”.

Championship Weekend on September 25 marks the first time that dragon boat races are held in Vancouver since 2019. Championship Weekend, running from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM this Saturday at Concord Pacific Place, will also feature local musicians on the main stage, cultural pavilions exploring the dragon boat festival’s roots in Chinese culture, and showcase the land and water’s deep ties to local Indigenous communities.

The Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival is an intercultural meeting place to share ideas, culture, and sport. In 2021, the Festival’s expansion takes it beyond the water as it evolves alongside our community. The Festival runs to September 26. Events this year explore dragon boat’s roots at the intersection of culture and sport, including: 

• Displays at BC Sports Hall of Fame and the Chinese Canadian Museum;
• Activities to mark the Mid Autumn Festival with the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden and the inaugural Fire Dragon Festival;
• Cross Cultural Walking Tours to explore histories of different DTES communities, and;
• Short film series with the Chinatown Society Heritage Buildings Association to share Chinatown’s society-owned buildings’ intangible cultural heritage.

Dragon Boat BC and the International Taoist Church of Canada formally opened this year’s festival with a traditional ceremony on September 18 — praying for safe conduct of the event and opening the eyes of the dragon. Due to pandemic protocols, a small audience participated in the private ceremony, which will be re-broadcasted during Championship Weekend races on September 25th to connect the racers to this important traditional part of dragon boat racing. 

The boat used in the ceremony was originally donated by Hong Kong to Vancouver for exhibition races at Expo 86 and sparked the beginnings of dragon boat racing in Canada. The same teak dragon boat will be displayed on Championship Weekend. Representatives from the Province of B.C., City of Vancouver, Concord Pacific, Dragon Boat BC, and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Toronto) took part in the Taoist ceremony.

The Festival runs from September 18 to 26. More information can be found at concorddragonboatfestival.ca.

About the Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival Society

Community, culture, and competition, all in one boat. The Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival Society (dba Dragon Boat BC) is the non-profit organizer of North America’s flagship dragon boat festival – the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival, and runs Dragon Zone Paddling Club – Canada’s largest paddling club. 

The Society also produces a series of races, cultural programming, and community initiatives centred around the traditional Chinese sport of dragon boat. Through its All Access and youth programs, supported by the Milton K. Wong Legacy Project, the Society makes paddling experiences accessible regardless of any barriers to participation. Visit dragonboatbc.ca for more information, or like Dragon Boat BC on Facebook and Instagram. 

Media Contact

Hosea Cheung

Spotlight West Communications

778.389.9395

hosea@spotlightwest.ca

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