2010 Dragon Races, New York City
The 20th annual Hong Kong Dragon Races festival in Flushing Meadow-Corona Park was a big success. The event, August 7 & 8, attracted more than 25,000 spectators according to a spokesperson for the Queens borough office of the NYC Dept.of Parks.
With over 170 teams participating the event was supported by major sponsors from the U.S. and China.
The title sponsor was HSBC Bank NA.
The entire two-day program was promoted by the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office of New York, a goverment agency, an arm of the government of China in the US.
For more info press:
www.HKBDF-NY.ORG
The program was part of the “Year of the Tiger” campaign by the HKDBF.
The two-day event had an international flavor as teams from Italy, Canada and the U.S. participated. Crews of 20,including 18 padddlers, a drummer and a captain who directs the course of action were visible from all points from the lake-side. Two other Cup Races had also taken place as part of the festival.The “dragon” boats are beautifully hand-carved pieces
measuring 38′ with a width of 3’6.
Rice dumplings are cutomarily eaten before each race to assure good fortune.
The Empire State Building in NYC was festooned with the race’s banner colors of green and red for both days.
The winning teams stand to earn
$20,000 in prize money from the the US Dragon Boat Open Championship association. These will announced in Central Park on Friday, August 27. Some 2,000 athletes competed for their teams.
Dragon Boat Racing is based on
episode from the life of poet Qu Yuan in 278 BC.Traditionally, the race takes place in China and cities aound the world on the 5th day of the fifth lunar month of the year.
Reported by Michael Zufolo on site, August 8.
