The 34th Annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival will be held on June 9, 2013 on the Charles between Boston & Cambridge. Watch the races and enjoy wonderful Asian cuisine, arts & crafts and performances!
The Boston Dragon Boat Festival was the first and oldest of its kind in America and formed by the Boston Children's Museum & the Cambridge River Festival. The festival was founded to commemorate the life of Chinese poet & patriot, Qu Yuan.
"Each year, 30-40 teams from the US and Canada compete over a 500-meter course in an energetic race to the finish line. The teams practice in the spring to prepare for the June races, paddling in sleek, colorful 39-foot-Hong Kong-style dragon boats.
The Boston Dragon Boat Festival fosters learning and exploration of diverse multi-cultural heritage, especially that of the Asian-American heritage in New England. The goal of the festival is to provide a common setting through which citizens of diverse backgrounds may share goodwill. The short-term impact is a day of friendship, and the long-term impact will be bonds forged within a heritage activity and extended to life-long understanding among people of diverse backgrounds. Shared participation in arts and athletics not only serves as unifying strategies, it also improves community life and health and fitness for all."
Please check the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival website for location & details.
