Dragon Boat Festival 2024 in Shanghai

The Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional holiday originated in China during the Warring States Period (476 - 221 BC). The legend says that in 278 BC a famous Chinese poet and minister Qu Yuan drowned himself in the river protesting against the occupation of his country by the State of Qin. People were in mourning and searched for his body sailing their boats down the river. That is how the festival emerged. Even after centuries, people continue to imitate the searching acts to show their respect for this great patriot.

Festival Dates & Schedule

Because Qu Yuan died on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, festival is held each year on that exact day. As the lunar calendar is flexible the date of the festival is also floating, but it usually falls in late May or the first half of June. This year, it's set on June 10th. However, festival activities and dragon boat races generally begin a week earlier.

Customs

At the festival, you can see many local customs, such as dragon boat racing, zongzi (a traditional Chinese food made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings), shooting competitions, and many others. To ward off diseases and insects, the Chinese make talismans out of mugwort and calamus leaves and drink red fermented wine.

Dragon Boat Races

Of course, the most popular event of the festival is dragon boat racing. Chinese consider themselves sons of a dragon, a very popular mythological creature. The boats are usually brightly decorated and range from 40 to 100 feet long (12 to 30 m), with their front end shaped like an open-mouthed dragon and the back end like the tail.

The participating boats can usually accommodate 12 people. The team includes one steerer, a drummer, ten paddlers, and two substitutes who can step in if someone drops out of the competition. The races evolved beyond a religious and honorary tradition and became a sports activity for the whole community.

Dragon Boat Races in Suzhou Creek (June 1-2, 2024)

As the festival has become international, you can see many international participants from Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong competing in Suzhou Creek in Putuo, between Jiangning Lu and Changhua Lu bridges. The competition is held under the name of Shanghai Suzhou Creek Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament and usually consists of 656 feet (200 m) and 1,640 feet (500 m) races, as well as a recently added 328 feet (100 m) race.

The hosting venue of the competition is the Mengqing Garden, on the banks of Suzhou Creek. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the tournament, as well as a notable development—some teams have expanded and now consist of 22 participants.

Dragon Boat Race at the Huating Lake (June 10, 2024)

Songjiang District Dragon Boat Race is held annually at the scenic Huating Lake, making this year its 14th edition. The main event of the competition is a 656-foot (200 m) sprint race. Huating Lake is one of the best places to witness dragon boat races due to its rich mountainous landscapes and lush forest greenery.