Paddles were swiftly battling through Vancouver waters Saturday, as the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival returned after a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Held at False Creek, hundreds of attendees gathered to celebrate one of the biggest dragon boat festivals in North America.
“This year’s Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival is our invitation to everyone, teams, our community, and city alike to reconnect with each other,” Dominic Lai said, Dragon Boat BC’s development, marketing, and operations director.
“We’re ready to welcome everyone back to kick off summer with us, watch races in our new fleet of boats, and enjoy an exclusively local lineup of activities and shows.”
The festival is running June 24-26, with live music performances from local artists, and will feature cultural pavilions, a local marketplace, food vendors, a new public art program, family-friendly activities and of course exciting dragon boat races.
“After doing our part to keep everyone safe, it is wonderful that we can finally come together to experience the culture and excitement of the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival,” Brenda Bailey said, Vancouver-False Creek’s MLA.
“Festivals like this play a pivotal role in our community, drawing tourists, supporting local businesses and employing locals and our government is proud to see it come back stronger than before.”
Admission is free.