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June 29, 2017

Sun shines on Vancouver’s successful 2017 Dragon Boat Festival

With nonstop sunshine all weekend, the Concord Pacific Vancouver Dragon Boat Festival attracted crowds of up to 100,000 festival-goers and onlookers who lined the seawall along the False Creek festival site from Concord Pacific Place to Creekside Community Centre.

In-between, Science World provided a shining backdrop to colourful festival flags flying above the musical Main Stage, Circus West outdoor theatre, and local merchant’s booths, while below top precision paddlers from around the world raced in the False Creek waters below.

Concord Pacific Director of Corporate Relations Peter Udzenija cites multiple reasons for the 29-year old event’s success: “The Vancouver Dragon Boat Festival spans all strata and cultures. The multicultural entertainment offers free, accessible fun for everyone ― rich, poor, people with disabilities, and all ages.”

The popular sports, arts and cultural festival brings in more than $5 million annually to the local economy with tourist spending alone estimated at $1.8 million. Tourist paddlers spend an average of $990 per paddler over the festival’s three days.

Check out The Vancouver Sun for more on the 2017 Concord Pacific Vancouver Dragon Boat Festival.

Local teams make multiple trips to the medal podium

Vancouver-based dragon boat teams dug deep to win gold and glory in major races during the weekend.

The Concord Pacific Champions Race Series was dominated by CIBC One West, members of the Dragon Zone Paddling Club operated year-round by Dragon Boat BC. The team finished first in the knock-out race taking on teams from Shanghai, Macau, Hong Kong, the Czech Republic, and United States. Local teams also topped the Junior, Women’s and Mixed divisions’ champion races.

In other key competitions, FCRCC Premier Women’s team crossed the line with the fastest time in the Steve Nash Fitness World Women’s Guts and Glory, a 2-km endurance race. Dreadnought, a team out of the False Creek Racing Canoe Club, brought in the fastest time in the staggered-start 2-km Concord Pacific Mixed Guts and Glory race that caps off the festival weekend.

The Concord Pacific Vancouver Dragon Boat Festival is back June 22 to 24, 2018 to celebrate its 30^th anniversary as Vancouver’s largest and longest running outdoor summer festival.