It’s time for the high-octane Dragon Boat Festival! This energy-filed festival is teeming with color and sound as thousands join together to cheer on the Dragon Boat racing teams.
The Dragon Boat Festival commemorates the death of Qu Yuan, a Chinese national hero. In a protest against corrupt rulers, Qu drowned himself in the Mi Lo River. To scare away fish from eating his body, the townspeople beat drums and threw rice dumplings into the water. Today, this event is remembered by Chinese people around the world, who eat zongzi and go swimming or at least dip their hands in rivers or lakes. Alongside this is the Dragon Boat Racing. Colorful boats race to the beat of drums, each carrying a crew of 20-22 paddlers. Communities across Hong Kong and Singapore celebrate the festival with organized boat racing taking place.
In Singapore, the races take part in July at the Bedok Reservoir, the Kallang River and Gardens by the Bay Marina Channel. Catch the action on 26 & 27 May and 2 & 3 June 2018. Organised by DBS Bank and the Singapore Dragon Boat Association, the DBS Marina Regatta dragon boating competition is like no other. In Hong Kong watch the action at Central Harbourfront on 18 & 19 June.
