Queens Tribune

In Celebration of the “Year of the RAT,” the organizing committee of the 18th Annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, August 2 and Sunday, August 3 at Meadow Lake in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

The multicultural celebration and sporting event, is the largest multi-cultural Festival in New York and the largest festival of its kind in the country. With more than 150 well-trained teams, involving more than 1,500 participants competing from across the U.S. and Canada, this year’s festival is expected to be notable for both its scale and fierce competition.

The tradition of Dragon Boat Racing is an annual Chinese rite commemorating the idealistic poet and reformer 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, they beat their drums and splashed their paddles. This was the beginning of Dragon Boat Racing.

The festival takes place over two days on the site of the 1964 World’s Fair, featuring events for the entire family. The Opening Day Ceremony/ Parade at noon on Saturday, will be MC’d by WNBC TV 4’s Pei-Sze Cheng, followed by the New York City Championship Race. The finals in the U.S. Dragon Boat Open Championship will be held Sunday with the competitors striving for their share of the cash and prizes.

Renowned race announcer and color commentator Ian Brooks will return once again to serve as our race announcer. On Sunday from noon to 1 p.m., Chef One hosts their 5th annual “Dumpling Eating Contest,” with more than $3,600 in cash and prizes. An ethnic food court and booths staffed by sponsors of the event, many of whom will be giving away promotional items, and many community-based organizations help make for a unique, action packed, multi-cultural, New York weekend.

Admission is free. For information visit www.hkdbf-ny.org or call (718) 746-5781.