About the Festival

our history

Dragon boating appeared in Vancouver as a demonstration sport at - Expo 86. Vancouverites liked it and interest started to grow.

In 1989 former BC Lieutenant Governor Dr. David C. Lam and prominent businessman Milton K. Wong lead the creation of the Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival.

The Festival was created to show off Vancouver's growing cultural diversity and to promote racial harmony among Canadians - new and old. Vancouverites were invited to the festival to experience spectacular food, entertainment, arts and children's programming reflecting Vancouver's cultural diversity. At the same time, interest in paddling was taking off and more and more teams formed and registered each year.

Twenty one years later the Festival still fulfills its mandate to promote cultural harmony among Canadians. It has developed into one of Vancouver's most anticipated summer family events.

Recognized as North America's biggest and best, Vancouver's Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival 21st Anniversary was a true celebration of multiculturalism, attracting over 90,000 people and more than 180 dragon boat teams from across the Lower Mainland and around the globe.

June 19 & 20, 2010
Rio Tinto Alcan
Dragonboat Festival

NEW Blog >>

2010 FESTIVAL REGISTRATION OPEN NOVEMBER 2009

WE'VE GOT SPIRIT
The Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival was recently awarded the Spirit of Vancouver Special Event Award for... More >>