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February 11, 2021

2021 Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival Update

VANCOUVER, BC – 5:30 PM –

It goes without saying the past 11 months have been difficult for all organizations, including us as a non-profit event and sport organization. At this time, there are some signs of hope on the horizon, but we are cautious about what comes next. As we’ve watched COVID continue to develop, we have determined that the June 2021 date range for our Festival is not possible. While this is not likely a surprise to anyone, it is still disappointing to have to say out loud.

We are actively evaluating our backup date range at the end of September. Based on the proposed vaccination schedule, we expect a trend line favourable to event viability to emerge by mid-summer at the same time as broader allowances for paddling are implemented. This would provide at least three months for teams to prepare for a race. The tail end of September is also the latest we can hold an event without hitting highly variable weather conditions.

However, there is a significant chance that our September dates may not be viable. We have been in regular communications with government agencies and industry partners, and do not expect that international borders will reopen by September. We also expect that if the Festival is able to be held, restrictions will be in place in regards to spectators, social distancing, possible testing requirements, and sanitation measures.

With these factors in mind, we are also announcing the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival’s date for 2022-2024 to allow teams to plan:

• June 24-26, 2022 (preferred dates)
• June 23-25, 2023
• June 21-23, 2024

Even when COVID progresses to a point where activity is allowed, paddlers may not feel comfortable returning to the water or racing in events yet, and we recognize many teams come from areas where COVID’s progression is different. We also recognize that teams may just simply prefer to not have the added pressure of preparing for a race right after returning to the water.

Teams that had registrations transferred to 2021 can defer their registration to any of our future dates. Deferral applications for future years will not be processed until we have a clear sense of what 2021 will look like. Team administrators also have had the option to convert their race fees into a gift card that can be used for any of our currently running programs, rentals, passes, or merchandise; or request a refund of their race fees minus 25% since August without a deadline.

For more information on Dragon Boat BC’s COVID-19 plans, please visit dragonboatbc.ca/covid19. For assistance, please email info@dragonboatbc.ca.

Media Contact

Dragon Boat BC Main Office
Email: info@dragonboatbc.ca
Please note that the office remains closed, and is only able to take questions via email.

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