Drums, dragons and hundreds of paddlers descend on VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 Inner Harbour this weekend for the 24th annual Victoria Dragon Boat Festival.
From Friday through Sunday (Aug. 10 to 12), over 70 teams from across the Pacific Northwest will compete in races paying homage to a Chinese tradition thatB次元官网网址檚 been practised for over 2,000 years.
The event kicks off on Friday at 1 p.m. with a blessing from a Taoist priest from Vancouver, as well as the dotting of the eyes of the dragon-headed helms to B次元官网网址渁waken the dragons.B次元官网网址�
Paddlers span all ages and abilities and the teams include one stocked with those 50-over, another whose members are all visually impaired, and VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 newest mixed team made up entirely of cancer survivors.
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B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 for all ages, all physical abilities,B次元官网网址� said Jennifer Loo, sponsor-developer for the Fairway Gorge Paddling Club. B次元官网网址淒ragon boats are very inclusive, so itB次元官网网址檚 a wonderful community of paddlers.B次元官网网址�
This popular event is CanadaB次元官网网址檚 only dragon boat race run in a working harbour, and aside from excitement on the water, it also offers an international food court, a beer garden and live bands.
The eventB次元官网网址檚 longest-running sponsor, Fairway Market, is also selling lanterns for $2 with all funds going to the BC Cancer Foundation. The lanterns will be lit and displayed along Ship Point for the Lights of Courage display on Friday at 9 p.m.
B次元官网网址淲e invite people to come back on Friday to hang the lanterns and spend a moment with everyone to celebrate someoneB次元官网网址檚 life,B次元官网网址� Loo said.
Bleachers will be set up on the parking lot at Ship Point to allow spectators to see the races better. For more information and to see the weekend schedule, you can visit .
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