At the Races
Head to Centre Island this weekend for the Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival By Marcia Chen
Forget escaping to Centre Island for a quiet picnic this weekend. Your getaway will be interrupted by thousands of cheering athletes, squealing children and the loud thumping of drums—all converging for the city’s dragon boat festival.
With over 5,000 competitors plunging their paddles into Lake Ontario, this year’s event is the 20th anniversary of the races in Toronto. Teams of about 20 people (there are 180 teams and over 100 races in two days) move in unison to the beat of an onboard drummer, and while you might hear sporadic testosterone-fuelled chanting from the corporate camp, most are just there to have fun. Between races, take in yoga demonstrations, traditional dance and live music—China, South Asia, eastern Europe and South America are all represented—and sample dishes from the international food pavilion.
It’s surprising that an event inspired by the drowning death of Ming dynasty poet and statesman Qu Yuan has become so popular around the world. The race is a re-enactment of local fishermen rushing out too late to save Qu Yuan. The zong ze (bamboo-wrapped sticky rice dumplings) that are traditionally served represent the ones cast into the river to lure fish away from his body.
Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival. June 21 and 22, 10–6. Free; ferry $6.50. Centre Island. www.dragonboats.com.
Check out other events happening in the city this weekend >>
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This event sounds exciting, I'm definitely attending !
June 18, 2008 | by AccidentalTourist