26th Annual Austin Dragon Boat Festival

Austin’s 26th annual Dragon Boat Festival is set for Saturday, April 25, at Festival Beach on Lady Bird Lake, with racing starting in the morning and the public admitted free. (atxdragonboat.com) The official festival site lists the event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Festival Beach, while the City of Austin’s event calendar lists the broader permitted event window as 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Lady Bird Lake. (atxdragonboat.com) (austintexas.gov) Visit Austin says The Lunar Foundation is producing the festival and expects 20 teams and 400 paddlers on the water, while Austin Monthly’s weekend guide says this year’s field includes 26 teams and more than 500 paddlers. (austintexas.org) (austinmonthly.com) Dragon boating is a sprint race in long, narrow boats with a drummer at the front and a steerer at the back, and Austin’s festival pairs that competition with stage performances and food. (atxdragonboat.com) (austintexas.org) The event has become one of Central Texas’ longest-running cultural festivals since its founding in 1999 by Amy Wong Mok, according to festival listings and event promoters. (upcomingevents.com) (austinmonthly.com) Organizers say the festival showcases Asian and Pacific Islander heritage in Austin, and this year’s public programming includes lion dance, taiko drumming, dance troupes, vendors, and family activities. (atxdragonboat.com) (austinmonthly.com) Austin Monthly says scheduled performers include Austin Taiko, the Texas Dragon/Lion Dance Team, and the Austin Filipino Cultural Dance Troupe. (austinmonthly.com) The festival site also says YouTube artist Zachary Hsieh, known as ZHC, is set to finish a painted dragon boat on-site, with the boat tied to a benefit auction for the event. (atxdragonboat.com) (austintexas.org) For attendees, the practical details are simple: Festival Beach, Saturday, April 25, free admission, and a full day built around races on Lady Bird Lake and performances on shore. (atxdragonboat.com) (austintexas.org)