Catch a Dragonboat Race in Nanaimo, B.C.
Catch a Dragonboat Race in Nanaimo, B.C.
One of the best parts of any Canada vacation is experiencing all the sights and culture associated with each region of the country, and travelers will get to see that first hand if they book their trip to Vancouver Island during the annual Nanaimo Dragonboat Festival.
This year's event is scheduled for the weekend of July 8th through the 10th and promises to be fun for the whole family. The main attraction is the big boat race, where teams from around the world compete in ornately-decorated boats shaped like dragons. Beyond the competition, there will also be areas for kids, food, drink and much more.
Dragonboat racing is not a Canadian tradition per se, but it actually has its roots in ancient China. The story goes that a wise and beloved Chinese diplomat, Qu Yuan, was so despondent after a political turn of events that he put stones in his pockets and sank himself in the Mi Lo River. The townspeople all got in their boats and raced to save him, but they were too late. From that point forward, they returned to the river every year and held a boat race to recreate that fateful day and honor his memory.
This year's event is scheduled for the weekend of July 8th through the 10th and promises to be fun for the whole family. The main attraction is the big boat race, where teams from around the world compete in ornately-decorated boats shaped like dragons. Beyond the competition, there will also be areas for kids, food, drink and much more.
Dragonboat racing is not a Canadian tradition per se, but it actually has its roots in ancient China. The story goes that a wise and beloved Chinese diplomat, Qu Yuan, was so despondent after a political turn of events that he put stones in his pockets and sank himself in the Mi Lo River. The townspeople all got in their boats and raced to save him, but they were too late. From that point forward, they returned to the river every year and held a boat race to recreate that fateful day and honor his memory.
Posted on Friday, Apr 29, 2011 by Dan Macleod
