
2023 UK CHINESE DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL
Day 1
Saturday 17th June
Race for Amateur team
Media City Piazza (MCP) & Huron Basin,
MediaCityUK, Salford,
M50 3AZ
09:30 - 10:00
Dragon Boat Team Registration
(Handout of team flag, uniforms and racing schedule)
Location
The Front bank of Huron Basin (next to the Alchemist)
10:00
Crew Managers Meeting and Safety Briefing
Location
Race Control Centre stall (Near to the Lowry Outlet)
10:30 - 11:00
Arrival of VIP guests
Team Entrance
Location
Media City Piazza (MCP)
10:50 - 11:00
Dragon dance and lion dance
Location
Main Stage, MCP
11:10 - 12:00
Opening Ceremony
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Guest Speeches
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Group photo
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Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
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Paddle Awarding
Location
Main Stage, MCP
12.30
Start of Performances
*the first 12 teams are guided to prepare for loading
Location
Main Stage and On The Canal
12.40
Cultural performances (continuing until 17:00)
Location
Main Stage
13:00 - 17:15
Dragon Boat Race, two rounds for each team
Semi-final - the third round for the top 20 teams
Grand Final of Dragon Boat Race for top 6 teams
Location
Huron Basin
17:30
Award Ceremony/Trophy and Medals Presentation
Location
Main Stage, MCP
Day 2
Sunday 18th June
Race for Professional teams
(500m and 200m)
Huron Basin, MediaCityUK,
Salford,
M50 3AZ
09:00 - 10:00
Dragon boat racing for professional groups
(continuing until 16:30)
Location
Huron Basin
10:00 - 12:00
Mixed performances and culture event
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Dragon and lion dancing
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Singing
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Dancing
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Music playing
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Martial arts
Provided by XCA​ Yinghua Choir, XCA Hongman Dance Troop and other UK based Chinese Communities
Location
Main Stage, MCP
12:00 - 16:15
Performance by Salford Music and Performance Team
Salford College Performance Team
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Boat Racing Continues at Huron Basin
Location
Main Stage, MCP
16:30
2023 Chinese Dragon Boat Festival Closing Ceremony
Location
Main Stage, MCP
​NEWS RELEASE 2nd JUNE 2023
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Arts and Performance Program announced.
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Two Days of incredible and beautiful performances from our Manchester and wider community.
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Saturday 17th June 12:40 to 16:40
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Sunday 18th June 10:00 to 16:00
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Saturday 17 June 2023 | 12:40 – 16:40
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Dragon Dance, by Jinlong Martial Arts and UK National Martial Arts Troop
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Chinese Martial Arts Performance, by Jinlong Martial Arts and UK National Martial Arts Troop
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Dance <The Ripen Pomegranate>, by Hongman Dance Troop of Xinhua Chinese Association
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Children Chorus <Listening to Mummy Talking>, <Always with Me>, by Manchester Chinese Children Choir
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Clothing Performance <Thousand Years of Han Costume>, by Arts of China
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Chorus <Jasmine Flower>, <Scarborough Fair>, by Yinghua Choir of Xinhua Chinese Association
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Children Chorus <Your Smile is So Charming>, <Song of Dim Sum> , by Bowen Education
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Female Solo <A Query to the Spring>, <I dreamed a Dream>, Annie Wang, Xinhua Chinese Association
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Dance <Nomadic Time>, by Hongman Dance Troop of Xinhua Chinese Association
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Clothing Performance <Guangxi Minority Dresses>, by UK Guangxi Culture and Tourism Association
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Chorus <1><2>, by Voices of Hope, Manchester
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Erhu Duet <Horse Racing>, by Mr Frank Wang and Miss Xiaohan Yin
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Dance <Beauties by the Autumn Late>, by North-eastern China Fellowship Association
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Bamboo Stick Dance <Let us Dance>, by UK Guangxi Culture and Tourism Association
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Male and Female Quartet <Stepping on Waves>, <Walking the Country Road>, Green Grass Group of Xinhua Chinese Association
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Dance <The Vast Land>, UK Colchester Association of Chinese Cultures
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Guzheng Solo <The Dancing Melody of Yao Region>, by Bowen Education
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Dragon Dance, by Jinlong Martial Arts and UK National Martial Arts Troop
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Chinese Martial Arts Performance, by Jinlong Martial Arts and UK National Martial Arts Troop
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Dance <My Jiuzhai Village>, by Hongman Dance Troop of Xinhua Chinese Association
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Waist Drum Dance <My Beautiful Motherland>, by North-eastern China Fellowship Association
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Child Solo <Fight Song>, By Ruicheng Li, North-eastern China Fellowship Association
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Talk Show <Zongzi>, by Will Hart, Manchester Cultural Centre Chinese School
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Female Chorus <Weishan Lake>, by Yinghua Choir of Xinhua Chinese Association
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Dance <Painting You>, by North-eastern China Fellowship Association
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Children Chorus <I want to Say Thankyou>, <Mum is the Best>, by Manchester Cultural Centre Chinese School
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Children Performance <Celebrating Duanwu Festival>, by UK Miaomiao Education
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Dance <Jasmine Flower>, by Hongman Dance Troop of Xinhua Chinese Association
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Chorus <My Many Friends on the World>, by UK Association of Chinese Traditional Medicine
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Dance <The Elegant Girls in Green>, by Bowen Education
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Femail Solo <Never Enough>, by Chujia Yang, North-eastern China Fellowship Association
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Clothing Performance <Chinese Cheongsam>, by Manchester Cultural Centre Chinese School
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Chorus <My Flying Youth Bird>, by Yinghua Choir of Xinhua Chinese Association
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Day 2: Sunday 18 June 2023 | 10:00 – 12:00
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Chorus <Jasmine Flower>, <Scarborough Fair>, by Yinghua Choir of Xinhua Chinese Association
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Dance <Love of South Water Lake>, by UK Federation of Guangxi Societies
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Children Chorus <Listening to Mummy Talking>, <Always with Me>, by Manchester Chinese Children Choir
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Dance <Nomadic Time>, by Hongman Dance Troop of Xinhua Chinese Association
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Dance <Colours of Blue and Green>, by Manchester Chinese Dancing Institute
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Female Solo <A Query to the Spring>, <I dreamed a Dream>, Annie Wang, Xinhua Chinese Association
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Dance <Jasmine Flower>, by Hongman Dance Troop of Xinhua Chinese Association
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Children Chorus < A Pair of Hand>, <Hello>, by Manchester Cultural Centre Chinese School
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Dance <Beauties by the Autumn Late>, by North-eastern China Fellowship Association
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Male and Female Quartet <Stepping on Waves>, <Walking the Country Road>, Green Grass Group of Xinhua Chinese Association
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Dance <The Ripen Pomegranate>, by Hongman Dance Troop of Xinhua Chinese Association
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Children Chorus <Happy because of You>, < Your Smile is So Charming >, by Manchester Cultural Centre Chinese School
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Dance <Hero Huo Yuan Jia>, by Manchester Chinese Dancing Institute
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Male Solo <Let ‘s Toast, My Friend>, by Zihua Zhang
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Dance <Cheerful Songs over the Land>, by UK Guangxi Culture and Tourism Association
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Female Chorus <Weishan Lake>, by Yinghua Choir of Xinhua Chinese Association
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Dance Solo <The Dai Girl>, by Kelly Yang, Manchester Chinese Dancing Institute
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Waist Drum Dance <My Beautiful Motherland>, by North-eastern China Fellowship Association
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Dance <My Jiuzhai Village>, by Hongman Dance Troop of Xinhua Chinese Association
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Children Performance <Celebrating Duanwu Festival>, by UK Miaomiao Education
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Clothing Performance <Chinese Cheongsam>, by Manchester Cultural Centre Chinese School
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Dance <Painting You>, by North-eastern China Fellowship Association
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Chorus <My Flying Youth Bird>, by Yinghua Choir of Xinhua Chinese Association
12:00 ~ 16:00 Salford Music and Performance Team
12:00pm – Senior Brass Quintet
12:35pm – Salford Steel (Steel Pans)
1:20pm – Senior Brass Quintet
1:50pm – Salford Steel
2:35pm – Senior Brass Quintet
3:10pm – Salford Steel
​NEWS RELEASE 10th MARCH 2023
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The UK Chinese Dragon Boat Festival comes to Salford Quays 17-18 June 2023
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Event to be bigger than before, bringing together the Xinhua Chinese Association event and the British Dragon Boat Association
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Festival across 2 days will feature amateurs as well as more experienced racers
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Applications for team entries now open
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A collaboration between Xinhua Chinese Association, Salford City Council and the British Dragon Boat Racing Association (BDA) will create an unmissable two-day event. The first day, Saturday 17 June will see amateur racers taking to the water, with more experienced teams competing on the second day, Sunday 18 June.
Dragon Boat Racing is a fun-filled, adrenaline pumping, water sports activity, which originated in China around 2300 years ago. It has taken place at Salford Quays for the last decade, and this year it is set to be bigger and better than ever before.
The event is open to teams and competitors aged 16 and over, and for those spectating, it is a chance to support the teams racing and engage with Chinese culture. There will be spectacular cultural performances, including tai chi and kung fu and lessons in Chinese calligraphy.
The launch of the UK Chinese Dragon Boat Festival 2023 and Memorandum of Understanding signing was held 9 March at The Lowry, opposite Huron Basin, where the event will be held in June. Representatives of the Parties signed an agreement to work collaboratively to make this year’s UK Chinese Dragon Boat Festival even more successful than previous years.
Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “I’m delighted that Salford City Council is supporting what promises to be another fantastic event for the city. I’d like to thank everyone involved in helping to make this possible.
This event presents a great opportunity for us to showcase our city to all those coming to take part and experience dragon boat racing and to a huge TV audience watching in China. As a city, we’re proud of our links with the Chinese community here in Greater Manchester and proud to be hosting this incredible event.”
Dr. Hanxin Yang, Chairman, Xinhua Chinese Association said: “We look forward to building friendship and understanding through this event here in Salford. Our aim is to help make contributions to multiculturalism and an inclusive society.”
Neil Pickles, Chairman, the BDA said: “This year’s Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, to be held here in Salford, will be a great opportunity to showcase the best club groups from around the country. As well as enjoying the Chinese culture, which is so important and ingrained in our sport.”
Applications are now closed The deadline to apply was Friday 12 May 2023
The festival is a charitable event, with 10% (£70 of £700) of teams’ entry fee being donated to Action For Children.