Houston Community News >> Houston Dragon Boat Festival News, Photos
5/7/2006 Houston-- Despite early morning thunderstorms in Houston, the Houston Dragon Boat Festival went on Saturday, May 6th. Hundreds of people showed up at Allen's Landing to enjoy an afternoon of fun and entertainment. The day was marked by the postponement of the main attraction: the Dragon Boat Races, which were held on Sunday.
The early morning thunderstorms caused runoff conditions from other bayous that flowed into Buffalo Bayou bringing in strong current and lots of debris.
However, the festival went on as planned with Houston Mayor Bill White giving the kick-off speech. Over 30 teams signed up to participate in the Dragon Boat Race held on Sunday.
Co-sponsored by the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, spectators and participants of this free public event celebrate Asian culture as they enjoy the diverse food, music and entertainment provided by the Texas Dragon Boat Association. The Houston Dragon Boat Festival features corporate, community, youth and cancer survivor teams competing for the revered “Dragon Cup”. Each team is formed of 20 paddlers, a drummer and a steersman, who bring new meaning to “the fast and the furious” as they race down a 250-meter stretch of water.
The Texas Dragon Boat Association is a 501(c)(3) Texas non-profit corporation whose mission is to promote the tradition and sport of dragon boating, increase awareness of Asian and Asian- American culture, and enhance cross-cultural understanding. TDBA organizes the Houston Dragon Boat Festival in downtown Houston each May and the Gulf Coast International Dragon Boat Regatta in Bay Area Houston each October.
