Nearly 70 teams of paddlers will take to Harrison Lake for an intense day of competition on Saturday (July 27).
The Harrison Dragon Boat Festival is upon us with its largest team turnout in years. There will be 66 teams competing in Harrison Hot Springs on Saturday; team spots sold out about a month before the cut-off. Competition begins at 9:30 a.m. and admission is free for the public.
The Dragon Boat Festival was cancelled for two years at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, low sign-ups triggered a third consecutive cancellation. However, by 2023, the festival was returning to true form, quickly rising to the highest team numbers since at least 2019, where 60 teams competed. Nearly 2,000 races will compete this year.
Teams are in three categories 鈥� women's, mixed and juniors, capped at 26 members. Racers compete for the fastest times in 500-metre races. Teams have gathered along the shores of Harrison Lake from the Fraser Valley, Sunshine Coast, Lower Mainland and Washington State.
This year, the Dragon Boat Festival team created a brand new medal, celebrating the spirit of the festival and featuring the iconic dragon logo.
This year's Dragon Boat Festival comes with the support of the provincial government, Dragon Boat B.C., the Fraser Valley Paddling Club (FVPC) Canadian Superstore, the Oddball Workshop and the Village of Harrison Hot Springs.
The FVPC is the local paddling club for paddlers all across the eastern Fraser Valley. The Harrison-based club is about 100 members strong and was established in 2001. The Harrison Dragon Boat Festival was established in 2004 and has been delivered in partnership with the FVPC and Dragon Boat B.C. since 2023.
For a complete schedule and more information harrisondragonboat.com.
