REGINA — The Regina Dragon Boat Festival returns to Wascana Lake this weekend for its 34th year, bringing nearly 1,000 paddlers and thousands of spectators together for two days of competition and cultural celebration.
The volunteer-run not-for-profit festival takes place Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 22 and 23, with free admission for spectators.
The festival begins Saturday at 3:30 p.m. with opening ceremonies featuring guest speakers, a lion dance and the traditional "Awakening the Dragons" ceremony.
During the ceremony, decorative dragon heads are attached to the boats and their eyes are painted to symbolize bringing the boats to life.
Regina Dragon Boat Festival President Amber Joy Boyd says organizing the weekend requires months of preparation.
"We have to get sponsors in place, we have to get volunteers in place, we have to get all of our logistics in place," Boyd said.
That includes arranging permits, security, tents, sound systems, vendors, entertainment and the racing teams.
"Some you can't get until you have others," Boyd said. "It's been very interesting to learn how all the moving parts work in relation to one another."
The first races begin Saturday at 5 p.m. with 200-metre qualifying sprints, followed by a 2,000-metre "Guts and Glory" fun race at 6 p.m.
The public can also visit the beer gardens from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., with food concessions available during the afternoon and evening.
Sunday is the main race day, beginning at 10 a.m. with 200-metre finals and 500-metre qualifying races.
The 500-metre competition continues through the afternoon, with finals scheduled between 1 and 5 p.m. The day concludes with a 200-metre "Noodle Canoodle" fun race, followed by the awards ceremony at 6 p.m.
Away from the water, Sunday will feature the Market Village and food concessions from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., cultural entertainment from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and a Children's Village during the same hours.
The Dragon Boat Festival's racing takes place on a straight-line course on Wascana Lake using 48-foot boats crewed by paddlers, a drummer and a steersperson.
The drummer's beat helps crews maintain a synchronized rhythm and is mandatory during competition. A boat that goes silent can be disqualified.
The festival also emphasizes accessibility, with people of different athletic abilities able to participate, including blind and partially sighted paddlers who can follow physical and verbal cues from their teammates and coaches.
Boyd says the festival is designed to be welcoming to the entire community by offering free admission.
"It's a whole family event," she said. "It's accessible so people can come out and enjoy it, no matter whatever walk of life, whatever part of life they're in."
Organizers are still looking for about 15 volunteers to help with areas including the beer garden, Children's Village, docks and parking. Youth can also volunteer with parental permission.
Boyd says the festival generally requires between 40 and 60 volunteers to operate, depending on how many shifts people can cover.
"We would love that," she said.
People interested in volunteering can register through the Regina Dragon Boat Festival website.
This year's teams are essentially full, but registration for next year's races opens in May. The 2027 festival will mark the event's 35th anniversary, and organizers are already planning a larger celebration.
"We're definitely looking to amp things up," Boyd said.
She says continued community and sponsor support will be important to making that happen.
"We want to have a really big show," she said. "We're looking to make 35 a really, really big festival."
For now, Boyd says the focus is on delivering another successful festival this weekend.
"We're only able to do this year with the support of our sponsors," she said. "We really want to thank this year's sponsors, because we absolutely could not do it without them."
