The Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival is indeed going ahead for a 21st year. (Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival)

By Ian Holmes

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Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival resurrected, one day event going ahead

May 3, 2024 | 1:52 PM

NANAIMO — A longstanding key pillar of Nanaimo Marine Festival will proceed this summer after all, following an operator’s decision to relocate to Victoria.

Non-profit organization VI Paddling confirmed it’s hosting a one-day event on Saturday, July 13 in partnership with the Nanaimo Downtown Business Association and Nanaimo/central Island dragon boat teams.

VI Paddling president Tom Arnold said an outpouring of support from Nanaimo area dragon boaters, along with corporate and community partners were instrumental in saving the popular event.

“We don’t have a lot of events on the Island, or even in Western Canada, that are in really visible areas where the public can see the event, get interested about the sport and get involved,” Arnold told NanaimoNewsNOW.

With a little over three months away from race day, a one day event as opposed to two day festival will go ahead.

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A shortened 200 metre course as opposed to 500 meters will be established due to the shortened event, Arnold noted.

Arnold said the Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival not going ahead this year threatened the event fading away for good.

“It’s so tough when you lose momentum like that, not only the city partners, but in terms of the support itself. This is such an important showcase event for dragon boating on Vancouver Island.”

VI Paddling is a combination of paddlers and teams based in Nanaimo, Comox Valley and Victoria.

Teams of 20 paddlers will be competing in international race standard boats in front of Swy-a-Lana Lagoon for the Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival, which has run since 2003.

“The annual dragon boat event in Nanaimo is more than a race, it’s a showcase event for breast cancer survivor teams who come together through this sport for fellowship and support,” Arnold stated.

He said Nanaimo’s Angels Abreast survivorship team as a driving force behind the regatta.

“Because of them, the Nanaimo Dragon Boat Regatta will have a survivors challenge race and a carnation ceremony as part of this year’s event.”

Funds from the event support Nanaimo Regional General Hospital’s oncology department.

Numerous corporate partners converged to help put on this year’s event, including Save-on-Foods and Mosaic Forest Management.

Live dance performances, food trucks and cultural displays will be included as part of several on-shore entertainment offerings.

As for potentially staging the event continuously in the future, Arnold referenced interest from prior operator Fairway Gorge Paddling Club returning to host the event again.

“No decisions have been made, but certainly whether through the festival or other ways you can expect to see VI Paddling doing more to support paddling in Nanaimo in the years ahead.”

It had appeared Nanaimo’s Dragon Boat Festival, a longtime tradition in Nanaimo, may not happen this year.

In late March, Fairway Gorge Paddling Club announced rising costs made the event unviable, prompting its decision to relocate to its own facilities this summer to keep the races alive in Victoria.

Last year was the 20th anniversary of the popular Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival, which saw more than 1,000 paddlers on 42 teams compete at the three day event.

Arnold said an ever-rising list of at least 20 teams are committed to competing in this year’s event in Nanaimo.

He said corporate partners are encouraged to reach out to VI Paddling to help associate their name with the festival.

“That would be a huge to defray some of the costs for this event,” Arnold said.

VI Paddling can be reached through its website, Facebook page or email: info@VIpaddling.com

Nanaimo Marine Festival also includes the Silly Boat Regatta and Bathtub Weekend during three consecutive weekends in July.

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ian.holmes@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes