DENVER — The nation’s largest dragon boat festival is back.
“We are so excited for The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival,” said Sare Moore, festival director. “We’ve been in existence for 23 years, and it has taken 23 years for us to purchase our new fleet of boats. So, all those yellow boats out there – they’re absolutely stunning. And it is the first new fleet in 23 years, and we’re just very excited about that.”
The Hong Kong-style BuK racing boats are about half the weight of the old boats, which weighed roughly 1,000 pounds.
“These are only 500 pounds, so our racers are going to be flying around Sloans Lake now,” Moore said. “So, very excited to have these new, improved boats.”
Organizers decided to purchase a new fleet rather than a few boats to ensure the boats are consistent and similar in how they’re made.
Denver7 is the proud media sponsor of The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival. Denver7 viewers even helped raise money for a new flag catching boat last year after it was struck by lightning.
“We would not be here without the community that we have here in Colorado, in Denver, the Asian American Pacific Islander community. We’re all in it together to just better Colorado,” Moore said.
The fierce two-day competition includes nearly a dozen boats and draws competitors from across the country.
“We have over 40 teams, and on a team there’s about 20 to 30 people,” Moore said.
It’s also a celebration of history and culture.
“We will have amazing food on-site at our two Taste of Asia food courts,” Moore said. “We have a huge marketplace full of Asian vendors and BIPOC vendors, as well. We’re a very family-friendly event that welcomes everyone."
The festival will take place Saturday and Sunday. For more information, click here.
