The Solomons Dragon Boat Festival returns to the Patuxent River on Aug. 22 for its 10th anniversary, with organizers expecting as many as 30 teams of paddlers to compete in what’s become one of Calvert County’s signature summer fundraisers, according to the Southern Maryland Chronicle.
The festival is organized by Southern Maryland Community Resources, a Pomfret-based nonprofit founded in 2013, and all proceeds support the group’s programming for people with developmental differences across the region. Participation has grown substantially since the event’s first year, when roughly 19 to 20 teams competed, the Chronicle reported.
A decade of tradition
The weekend opens Friday, Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. with the "Dotting of the Eye Ceremony," a tradition in which participants dip brushes in red paint to symbolically "awaken" each boat ahead of competition, according to the report. Dragon boat racing itself traces back more than 2,000 years to southern China, growing out of a folk tradition honoring a poet-official. Each crew includes 16 paddlers, a drummer and a steersperson.
What to expect on race day
Race day begins at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 22 at the Solomons Island Riverwalk near Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish, with heats running throughout the day alongside an expanded KidZone, a Vendor Village, food and entertainment, the Chronicle reported. General admission is free, though some activities carry separate fees.
Events at a glance
- Dotting of the Eye Ceremony: Friday, Aug. 21, 6 p.m.
- Race day: Saturday, Aug. 22, starting 8:30 a.m.
- Where: Solomons Island Riverwalk, near Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish, Solomons
- Admission: Free general admission; some activities have separate fees
- Registration and sponsorship: SolomonsDragonBoatFestival.com or somdcr.org
This report is based on reporting from the Southern Maryland Chronicle.
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