Vancouver Dragon Boat festival hopes for September return

By Tim James

Posted June 19, 2021 5:04 pm.

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — With sunny skies forecast for much of the weekend, Vancouver’s False Creek would usually be awash with Dragon Boats. However the annual Dragon Boat festival that would have been held this weekend has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organizer Dominic Lai says they’re now looking toward a September festival.

“Our goal is just to be able to welcome back all the teams from around the Lower Mainland, as well as from perhaps neighbouring regions in British Columbia.

Read More: Scheduled fall, winter concerts in Vancouver not yet approved by province

“[We’re] not expecting to see our international teams that would come from overseas, from other continents … join us for our races,” he says.

Lai says the festival may look more like a celebration of B.C. paddlers in September, rather than the massive international competition it usually is.

Vancouver’s Dragon Boat festival is the largest in North America and usually welcomes over 6,000 racers over the weekend.

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