Row, row, row your dragon boat; quickly down Lake Willastein with all your friends while wearing silly costumes. Seriously.
Registration is now open for the 2015 BKD River Cities Dragon Boat Festival, and teams are already preparing to compete for the championship title on Saturday, May 16.
Teams of 20 paddlers, a drummer and a steerer will race Hong-Kong style in a 46-foot-long dragon boat. Yes, a dragon boat.
Before you start hitting the gym to prepare, though, we’ll warn you that strength and power won’t get your boat very far. The key is to coordinate and synchronize with your team.
So gather your colleagues, book club, friends or whatever it is you’re in to and register on the Dragon Boat Festival website.
Registration for each boat is $1000, which may seem steep, but you have 22 team members to help fundraise. Plus, all proceeds will benefit the Children’s Protection Center.
Each team will have an on-water practice session and compete in two heats. The winners of the two will go on to compete in qualifying heats for the championship race. This isn’t just about racing, though. Teams are also encouraged to dress up and decorate their tents. Prizes will be awarded to the best dressed teams, largest pledge contributors and, of course, the fastest teams.
If you want to learn more, visit the Dragon Boat Festival website or Facebook page.