Brace yourselves as the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races will be back this June 15 and 16. Get ready to watch over 170 teams and 4,000 dragon boat athletes as they battle it out along Victoria Harbour. The dragon boat races have always been a highlight of the annual Dragon Boat Festival every summer.
Other than the electrifying races, there will also be photo spots featuring LINE Friends installation across the Avenue of Stars. For the first time ever, there will also be food and beverage stalls for locals and tourists to enjoy. Also, don’t miss the pyrotechnical display and drone shows on the evenings of June 10 and 15.
Gear up for the return of the dragon boat races in Hong Kong
This year’s edition will have 17 races, with over 170 teams from 12 countries and regions competing for prizes. The participation surpasses that of last year, in terms of the number of participants as well as dragon boat teams. Other than the usual teams from the Mainland, Macau, and Hong Kong, there will also be teams from Singapore, Japan, UAE, Thailand, and more.
On the second day of the event, there will be three races: the International Open Grand Championship, the International Mixed Grand Championship, and the International Women’s Grand Championship. Teams need to achieve certain results on the first day to qualify for the trophy races. Also returning this year will be the Greater Bay Area Championships and the 18 District Trophy. Complementing these races will be the Fancy Dress Competition where teams will put on their best costumes while competing.
RTHK TV32 will broadcast the semi-finals, finals, and award ceremonies will be broadcasted live. Furthermore, from June 8 to July 8, there will be photo spots featuring LINE Friends characters, dressed up as dragon boat athletes. Visitors can check out the limited pop-up store selling Hong Kong-only merchandise just for the festival.
You can also sample cool refreshments to quench your thirst and try creative delicacies while watching the dragon boat races at the Summer Chill Food Lane from June 8 to 16,
Fireworks and drone displays
To add more excitement, there will be a festival-themed drone show on the first day of the Dragon Boat Festival (June 10). There will also be fireworks show on the first evening of the dragon boat races (June 15) to enrich visitors’ experience. On the evenings of the fireworks and drone shows, visitors can get free ice cream along the Wan Chai harbourfront before the performances.
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All images credit: Hong Kong Tourism Board
This article first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Hong Kong
