Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival 2023

The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival is an international, multicultural celebration and sporting event, the largest multicultural Festival in New York and the largest festival of its kind in the U.S. With this year’s Legacy race HKDBF-NY keeps up the age-old tradition of Dragon Boat Racing in colorful, custom made teak boats. Custom made by a small coterie of craftsmen in Hong Kong, weighing one ton each, colorfully painted with a Dragon head at the front and Dragon tail at the rear, the boats are piloted by up to 20 crewmen, including 18 paddlers, a drummer and steers person.

HKDBF NY 2023 features events for the entire family, the Opening Ceremony takes place on Saturday with the traditional Dragon Dance and Team Parade. Some of the attractions taking place during the festival include a number of special Invitational races including the new “Hello Hong Kong Invitational” Supported by the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

The program on the HSBC Main Stage showcases the best Regional multicultural artists and traditional music/dance from across the globe. The ever-popular Shaolin Martial Artists return for performances on both days. The New York Chinese Cultural Center, Dance China returns, as does traditional Japanese Dancer Junko Fisher and Manhattan Taiko.

They have several other very Special Musical Guests this year, The Chinese Musical Ensemble of New York, the amazing violinist Daisy Jopling, the Latin Jazz Express performing a 100th-anniversary tribute to Tito Puente Sr., and Master Storyteller Jonathan Kruk returns spinning “Dragon Tales.” In addition, we have demonstrations of traditional Asian folk arts and crafts, booths staffed by sponsors, and many community-based organizations. A multicultural food court and a number of food trucks including Cousins Lobster Truck from Maine on Saturday.

The tradition of Dragon Boat Racing is an annual Chinese rite commemorating the idealistic poet and performer Qu Yuan who drowned himself in the third century B.C. to protest against his emperor’s policies. The locals raced in their boats in an attempt to rescue the poet. To prevent fish and water dragons from eating his body, the locals beat their drums and splashed their paddles. This was the beginning of Dragon Boat Racing.

Opening Ceremony- Saturday, August 12th at noon
Racing both days from 9am-5pm