Dragon Boat BC has officially announced that the 2021 Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival will be held from September 18 to 26, along with a reimagined and expanded program celebrating the community. The 9-day event’s main highlight is the return of dragon boat racing during Championship Weekend on September 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. — while featuring local artists on the 102.7 THE PEAK Main Stage and pavilions sharing Chinese and Indigenous cultures within a controlled site at Concord Pacific Place. This also marks the first time in two years that dragon boat races will hit Vancouver waters.

Special activities during the week-long festival:

• Championship Weekend Races at Concord Pacific Place: September 25
• Championship Weekend Main Stage Concord Pacific Place: September 25
• Championship Weekend Cultural Pavilions Concord Pacific Place: September 25
• Paddles Up! The Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival Exhibit at BC Sports Hall of Fame: September 24-26
• Mid-Autumn Festival at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden: September 21-24 and 26
• A Seat at the Table: Chinese Immigration and British Columbia with the Chinese Canadian Museum (with Dragon Boat Festival Archive Display): September 18-19, 24-26
• Keys to Living Heritage: Chinatown’s Society-Owned Buildings: September 20, and 24-26
• Cross Cultural Walking Tours: September 23-26

After being postponed earlier this year and cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, the festival’s expansion and evolution will connect with more communities over a longer period of time at multiple sites around Vancouver for the first time. “While COVID has impacted what our Festival normally looks like, we’ve taken this as a challenge to reimagine what comes next and look for creative ways to bring our community back together,” said Dominic Lai, Marketing and Operations Director for Dragon Boat BC. “We’re excited to unveil our Festival’s new direction, to safely welcome paddlers and the community to the world of dragon boat, and to highlight the culture that inspires this popular Vancouver tradition.”

All programs in the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival are either free or by donation. For more detailed information, safety and health protocols, please visit www.concorddragonboatfestival.ca. 

Time: Saturday, September 18th – Sunday, September 26th, 2021 (Championship Weekend on September 25th, from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.)

Admission: Free or By Donation

Location: Various locations

Concord Pacific Place, BC Sports Hall of Fame, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, Chinese Canadian Museum, Chinatown

Event contact: 

False Creek Office at the Creekside Community Centre

1 Athletes Way, Vancouver, BC

[email protected]

604. 688.2382