The Calgary Dragon Boat Race and Festival was organised at North Glenmore Park, Aug 9-11 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A 32-year-old tradition that still takes place every year in Calgary.
The annual event had 66 teams registered this year for the boat race with 50 merchants in the market. It offered a variety of cultural performances, 15 food trucks, craft markets, kids’ entertainment zone, beer gardens for the parents and a live entertainment zone at the main stage happening all weekend to keep the crowd entertained.
The Dragon Ball Festival originated in China about 2000 years ago. A poet, politician and philosopher protested against a few things in his community where he threw himself in the water. The villagers got on their boats with their paddles into the water to save him. They threw in dumplings with rice in order to save the poet and this is how the Dragon Boat started.
The festival witnessed over 5000 spectators per day this year which marked a huge success for the boat race.
Friday, Aug 9 was kind of a sneak a peek where teens got together for the welcome party, getting ready for the next two days of the event.
The event welcomed people from every culture. Different faces and people form every ethnicity were spotted. The festival not only brings the local community together but also attracts visitors from far and wide.
“Dragon Ball is a borderless sport now,” said Danny Ng, Coacher for the Calgary Dragon Ball Society.
The Dragon Boat Race and Festival has become a part of Calgary now as each person is aware of what it is.
The sport brings people together. “It doesn’t matter who you are, you have to work together to cross. That is a great philosophy that everybody has here,” said Danny.
The boat race was a charity race, all proceeds going to the Asian Heritage Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes the appreciation of Asian Canadian Society.
The festival is a great day to share with your family friends as it brings the community together. It is also an incredible way to raise awareness and funds for the Asian Heritage Foundation.
The festival started and concluded with a dragon and lion dance that is a pretty significant part of the ceremony.
Dragon ball is about teamwork, motivation, and unison as it brings people of different diversity and financial background together. The festival also featured a 500-meter race and a women’s final event.
According to Danny, “This year is a year of the dragon.”
The festival expects more teams to come up in the future which would really be great for more entertainment.
