This is my 18th time that I have been given the privilege of being involved in the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival. This has proven to be one of my favourite gigs that I have ever done.
This year’s festival is going to be one of the most impressive ones yet. There are performers from far and wide who will be entertaining over 150,000 visitors to the two day event. The Music starts on Saturday, June 22 around 12:30 and goes until late in the evening. This year’s Festival features the return of TD Main Stage’s 100% local lineup. Attendees will enjoy a special reunion set by Hey Ocean! and Juno-nominated Manila Grey, as well as exciting, diverse performers throughout the weekend.
Check out the list of performers and times they will perform!
With 25 food trucks and over 100 booths filled with artisans, there will be so much to see and do.
Not to mention that we expect over 6,000 races and 225 teams from across Canada, USA and Australia competing. This festival is the largest Dragon Boat Festival outside of Mainland China and I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of it.
This year, we will even have a drone show! I can’t wait to see that!
The dragon boat festival came on the heels of Expo 86, where Vancouver’s Chinese-Canadian community introduced the traditional annual Chinese Duanwu Festival (summer solstice) to Canada. From 1986 to 1988, the Chinese community continued to hold the festival.
In 1989, the Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival Society was formed and took over the leadership of the event, expanding on Vancouver’s multicultural diversity by adding more cultural celebrations and entertainment.
For more information about the festival visit concorddragonboatfestival.ca.
I hope everyone can make it down to see all the festivities.
Al Zylstra 