Dragon Boating on the Quays. Credit: Harry Warner

The UK Chinese Dragon Boat Festival will return to Salford Quays in May 2025.

The event will kick off on Sunday May 25 with an opening ceremony hosting cultural performances such as Chinese folk dances, Chinese folk instrument performances, Tai Chi and Kung Fu.

Over 30 amateur dragon boat racing teams will compete for the championship on the first day of the event, with the second featuring professional dragon boat competitions.

Dragon boating originates in ancient China and is now one of the fastest growing water sports globally, praised for its team-building benefits.

Team registrations are now open. Crews need to be made up of ten people, including a drummer and a steersman.

Amateurs are encouraged to take part. No experience is needed in order to enter the race.

The UK Chinese Dragon Boat Festival trophy Credit: UK Chinese Dragon Boat Festival (YouTube, 2023)

Whilst the main spectacles of the event are the boat races, the festival aims to promote diversity and the development of UK/Chinese relations.

The festival’s website states it wants to “promote the Anglo-China people’s understanding, exchange and friendship, as well as economic and trade cooperation”.

They hope to unite communities with food and will host Chinese tea tasting and dumpling making.

In 2023, Salford City Council partnered with the creators of the event, the Xinhua Chinese Association.

With this partnership, the association is determined to put on an “even more grand and successful event than ever before”.

Prospective teams can sign up to enter the Salford Quays dragon boat race at: https://www.dragonboatfestival.uk/race-entry

The deadline for the team entry application is Thursday May 1 2025.

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