Dragon Boat Festival
For the fourth year, the Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club Harbor Dragons dragon boat club will hold the War on the Peace Dragon Boat Festival at Laishley Park in downtown Punta Gorda. To help you get ready for this boat racing festival on Halloween, read our guide below to learn more about the event and how you can enter the dragon boat races.
What Are Dragon Boat Races?
An ancient Chinese tradition, dragon boat races are head-to-head competitions between teams featuring dragon-style boats that are 42 feet long. With 10 rows of seats, dragon boats have 20 paddlers. At the bow of the boat, an individual is assigned to play a drum to keep the rowers in time. At the stern of the boat, an individual uses a 9-foot oar to steer the boat throughout the race.
The 2015 War on the Peace Dragon Boat Festival will feature two types of races. A 350-meter sprint will last about two and a half minutes and will test the rowers’ raw strength to see which team can demonstrate the most power in the quickest time. The 2,000-meter race will test the rowers’ endurance and pacing across the water.
Entering the Dragon Boat Races
If you want to get in on the action, you and your friends can enter for a chance to become champions of the 2015 War on the Peace Dragon Boat Festival races in Punta Gorda. Upon entry, you and your team will receive two 1-hour practice sessions on the water the week before the competition. This training is given by members of the experienced Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club Harbor Dragons and is included in your entry fee. Paddles and life jackets are provided for all racers, and your team will have your own tent on the day of the races.
Halloween Themed
Along with the trophies and medals for the winners of the competitions, prizes will be given out to the best Halloween-themed team, so get your costumes ready.
Charlotte Local Education Foundation
The dragon boat festival has partnered with the Charlotte Local Education Foundation for the fourth annual race. Local teams can participate in fundraising for the organization and their Take Stock in Children Foundation, which provides scholarships and mentoring programs for students in Charlotte County.
For every dollar that the education foundation receives in donations, the Florida Prepaid Foundation will match it, so all of the money raised during the dragon boat festival will be double what’s actually donated to the students of our community.
This Halloween, put your skills to the test at the 2015 War on the Peace Dragon Boat Festival and help raise money to benefit the Charlotte Local Education Foundation and the students of Charlotte County, FL.
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