About the Festival

In 2002, community partners presented the first Welland Dragon Boat Festival. Twenty-four teams and 600 competitors took part in the inaugural event. The second annual Welland Dragon Boat Festival, held in July 2003, surpassed the first event with 1,500 participants and in 2004 over 2000 competitors paddled their way across the finish line.

Now in our 7th year the event continues to receive tremendous coverage in the local newspapers and other media outlets across Niagara. Dragon Boat racing is the fastest growing water sport in the world. Almost every major city in Canada can now boast that it has a Dragon Boat Festival as part of its summer event schedule.

The Welland Dragon Boat Festival is Welland's fastest growing event.  Dragon Boats are the largest flat water racing canoes in the world constructed of solid teak and weighing 1500 lbs.  Corporate and community teams made up of 20 paddlers, one drummer and a steersperson race in friendly competition.

Dragon Boating is extremely user friendly and anyone, young or old, at any fitness level can quickly adapt to and develop a passion for this sport.  Personal satisfaction, team development and friendship are just a few of the key words attributed to this sport by its growing number of participants.  It caters to those who are competitive by nature as well as those who crave outdoor summer activity on our community waterfront parks.

The Welland Dragon Boat Festival is organized by the following not-for-profit organizations; the Welland-Pelham Chamber of Commerce, the United Way of South Niagara, the Welland Rotary Club, Welland Recreational Canal Corporation and the Welland Heritage Council and Multicultural Centre.

 

Organizing Partners: