Dragon Boat Festival Returns to Pittock!

Thursday, 2 May 2024 09:47

The Pharmasave Woodstock Dragon Boat Festival is making a comeback this summer.

WOODSTOCK - After a five-year hiatus, the Pharmasave Woodstock Dragon Boat Festival is back!

It's going to take over the day-use area of Pittock Conservation Area on Saturday August 10th this year. This will be the 23rd festival hosted by the Woodstock Rotary Club.

The exact schedule for the day is not available yet, but the website says the races are expected to run from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Rotary Member Dave Harris says it's a fun event, whether you're competing on the water or watching on land.

"So there is activity on the water at all times. It's a great sport for people to come down to the park. It's at the day-use area of the Pittock Conservation Area. It's free access all day so you can come on down, take a look at the festival and watch the racing."

They're hoping to have 24 to 30 teams this year. Harris says each team will have to complete a seeding race, where their time will determine the division they're sorted in.

"We offer medals to the top two finishing teams in every division so it's a really good competition. That first round seeds you for the next two rounds, so you are always competing with teams of your calibre and it keeps the competition great."

Each dragon boat team consists of 22 paddlers, one drummer and one steer person. Most of the races are 500 metres in length, single lanes from start to finish.

Harris says the top teams from all of the divisions will get to face off at the end of the day.

"The top eight teams actually compete in a 2,000 metre races, and that one actually laps the race course a couple of times. So we stagger the start with the slowest of the eight teams first and the fastest of the eight teams last. Usually by the first turn the teams are starting to catch up to each other, and it is something else to watch these guys turn a 40 foot dragon boat at speed, it's very cool."

Registration is now open for the early bird price of $800 per team, but that will increase to $900 per team on June 1st. You can fine more information online here.

Volunteers are also needed to help make this event possible, so those interested in helping out can send an e-mail to dragonboatwoodstock@gmail.com.

Dave Harris stopped by the Heart FM studio to chat with Dan and Marcie on Thursday May 2nd. You can listen to the full interview below: