Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York
Encyclopedia
The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York is an annual sporting and multicultural event held in August on Meadow Lake
in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens
, New York
to celebrate the fifth moon (or the fifth month) of the lunar calendar
. In addition to providing audiences with traditional Chinese foods and performances, the festival, now in its 18th year, hosts over 150 dragon boat
teams from across North America, making it one of the largest dragon boat festivals in the United States
. Depending on the competitive division, teams compete for cash prizes or airline tickets.
wood boats to several cities including New York. In 1990, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York City promoted and organized the inaugural Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York, which was held on the Hudson River
in Battery Park City. Several of the original organizers are still involved with the festival, including Henry Wan, who now serves as the festival's chairman.
and receives its funding through sponsorships by various companies. The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office continues to be a substantial supporter of the festival.
In addition to the change in corporate structure, the festival's fleet of dragon boats has grown from 4 teak
wood dragon boats to over 30 dragon boats. Many of the boats are made of fiberglass. All the boats are approved by the International Dragon Boat Federation
for international dragon boat racing.
Meadow Lake
Meadow Lake may refer to:Inhabited places:* Meadow Lake , USA* Meadow Lake, New Mexico, USA* Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, a Canadian city in Census Division No...
in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to celebrate the fifth moon (or the fifth month) of the lunar calendar
Lunar calendar
A lunar calendar is a calendar that is based on cycles of the lunar phase. A common purely lunar calendar is the Islamic calendar or Hijri calendar. A feature of the Islamic calendar is that a year is always 12 months, so the months are not linked with the seasons and drift each solar year by 11 to...
. In addition to providing audiences with traditional Chinese foods and performances, the festival, now in its 18th year, hosts over 150 dragon boat
Dragon boat
A dragon boat is a human-powered watercraft traditionally made, in the Pearl River delta region of southern China - Guangdong Province, of teak wood to various designs and sizes. In other parts of China different woods are used to build these traditional watercraft...
teams from across North America, making it one of the largest dragon boat festivals in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Depending on the competitive division, teams compete for cash prizes or airline tickets.
History of the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York
In 1986, the Hong Kong Tourism Bureau donated traditional teakTeak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...
wood boats to several cities including New York. In 1990, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York City promoted and organized the inaugural Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York, which was held on the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
in Battery Park City. Several of the original organizers are still involved with the festival, including Henry Wan, who now serves as the festival's chairman.
Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York today
The festival is now an independent non-profit company organized under the laws of the State of New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and receives its funding through sponsorships by various companies. The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office continues to be a substantial supporter of the festival.
In addition to the change in corporate structure, the festival's fleet of dragon boats has grown from 4 teak
Teak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...
wood dragon boats to over 30 dragon boats. Many of the boats are made of fiberglass. All the boats are approved by the International Dragon Boat Federation
International Dragon Boat Federation
The International Dragon Boat Federation is the international governing body for the team water sport of dragon boatracing. The IDBF was founded by representatives from Australia, People’s Republic of China, Chinese Taipei, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Norway, Philippines,...
for international dragon boat racing.