• The Dragon Boat Festival will be celebrated at Salford Quays on the 8 and 9 June 2024, the Year of the Dragon!

• The two-day festival will feature amateurs as well as experienced racers.

• Event to surpass the previous year’s scale merging the Xinhua Chinese Association and British Dragon Boat Racing Association.

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City Mayor, Paul Dennett visited Salford Quays 21st March 2024, to mark the return of the Dragon Boat Festival which is set to make a grand return to Salford Quays this year, promising an even bigger impact than before. For the second year running, the festival will run for two days and participants and visitors will enjoy cultural performances and delicious festive foods.

The expanded scope of this year’s festivities highlights inclusivity and promoting Salford’s legacy. This will be promoted by the dynamic partnership involving the Xinhua Chinese Association, Salford City Council, and the British Dragon Boat Racing Association (BDA), who are set to deliver an unforgettable event.
 
Dragon Boat Race is an exhilarating water sport with its roots dating back 2300 years to China. It offers a blend of excitement and friendship. It has been celebrated at Salford Quays since 2012 and this year’s event promises to be bigger and more enjoyable.
 
The event growing each year promotes the Anglo-Chinese friendship and actively encourages multiculturalism in our society. With the event growing more each year, it can become a landmark cultural and sports activity for the people of Salford and Greater Manchester.

Participants aged 16 and above are welcome to join as teams or competitors, while spectators have the opportunity to cheer on the racers and immerse themselves in Chinese culture. The event will feature captivating cultural displays, such as Chinese Folk songs and dances, delicious Chinese food and Calligraphy.
 
Last year around 40 amateur teams along with 13 BDA club professional teams participated in the exciting boat race. The enthusiastic group of paddlers and drummers garnered the attention of many onlookers. This year as well, the festival is prepared to fulfil its promise of being a phenomenal event. The stage is all set for exhilarating Dragon Boat Races, vibrant cultural showcases and abundant delightful festivities.
 
Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said, “I am delighted that once again Salford City Council is supporting this amazing event. I want to thank everyone who came together to make this possible. We are elated to host this event and extremely proud of our links with the Chinese Community situated in Greater Manchester. This event will be a great opportunity to exhibit our city to all the participants and spectators of the event along with the vast television audience in China.”
 
Dr. Hanxin Yang, Chairman, Xinhua Chinese Association said: “Through this event and our partnership with Salford City Council, we aim to strengthen our friendship and contribute more towards a multicultural and inclusive society. Dragon Boat Racing has the power to bring people together and we hope this event will do that.”
 
Neil Pickles, Chairman, BDA said: “The Dragon Boat Festival has received a lot of love, and we are eager to encourage more people to participate and enjoy the Chinese Culture which is such an important part of the sport.”
 
The deadline to apply for amateur teams is 1 May 2024 and each team must include 10 paddlers and 1 drummer.
 
The festival is a Charitable event with 10 percent of the team’s entry fee being donated to Action for Children. To register your team, click here.