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presented by victoriadragonboatfestival
Sat, June 20 • 8:30am-6pm
Soak in the sun: Vancouver Island's fastest dragon boat race hits the start line on the first weekend of summer! On June 20, the Canada Dry Victoria Dragon Boat Festival presented by Fairway Market returns to the Inner Harbour.
Ship's Point will be the heart of the action, with a free celebration that includes live music, cultural performances, local food trucks, and the city's largest pop-up waterfront patio. From high-speed sprint races on the water to festivities on land, all events are free for the community to enjoy.
-Dragon Boat Races: Watch over 30 teams sprint across the 250M race course in the Inner Harbour! This year's races are set to be faster than ever as top Canadian paddlers training for this year's World Championships face off against the Island's best.
-Main Stage: Kick off summer and enjoy Victoria's vibrant culture! Experience traditional Chinese and Indigenous performances, including lion dances and kung fu, then hit the dance floor for high-energy sets from local bands.
-Food Trucks & Waterfront Patio Bars: Grab local bites from food trucks and drinks at Victoria's largest licensed waterfront patio along Ship's Point, featuring the Vancouver Island Brewing pop-up bar for prime race viewing.
-Searching for Dragons in Chinatown: In collaboration with the Victoria Chinatown Museum Society, visitors will be able to register to take part in special walking tours on Sunday June 21at 11:00 AM and 1:30 PM to explore where dragons appear in Victoria's Chinatown, dragon lore, and uncover Chinatown's history dating back to 1858 (book ahead at register.dragonboatbc.ca).
Traditionally held in August since the 1994 Commonwealth Games, the Festival has moved to June for 2026 to accommodate a one-time event being held in the Inner Harbour, as well as dragon boat race circuit changes due to global sport events in Vancouver. Coincidentally, this year's Festival date will also coincide with the traditional date of the Duan Wu Festival (端午節) - the ancient event that the modern dragon boat festival is now based on. The Festival will return to its usual August date in 2027.
The Festival is supported by Canada Dry, Fairway Markets, Coca-Cola, Government of Canada, City of Victoria, Greater Victoria Harbour Authority, Greater Victoria Sport Tourism Commission, and VI Paddling.
Saturday, June 20, 2026
8:30am-6pm
Inner Harbour and Ship's Point
From
Free
Commitment Style
All Day Event
Vibe
High-Energy
Format
Free
Soak in the sun: Vancouver Island’s fastest dragon boat race hits the start line on the first weekend of summer! On June 20, the Canada Dry Victoria Dragon Boat Festival presented by Fairway Market returns to the Inner Harbour.
Ship’s Point will be the heart of the action, with a free celebration that includes live music, cultural performances, local food trucks, and the city’s largest pop-up waterfront patio. From high-speed sprint races on the water to festivities on land, all events are free for the community to enjoy.
-Dragon Boat Races: Watch over 30 teams sprint across the 250M race course in the Inner Harbour! This year’s races are set to be faster than ever as top Canadian paddlers training for this year’s World Championships face off against the Island’s best.
-Main Stage: Kick off summer and enjoy Victoria’s vibrant culture! Experience traditional Chinese and Indigenous performances, including lion dances and kung fu, then hit the dance floor for high-energy sets from local bands.
-Food Trucks & Waterfront Patio Bars: Grab local bites from food trucks and drinks at Victoria's largest licensed waterfront patio along Ship's Point, featuring the Vancouver Island Brewing pop-up bar for prime race viewing.
-Searching for Dragons in Chinatown: In collaboration with the Victoria Chinatown Museum Society, visitors will be able to register to take part in special walking tours on Sunday June 21at 11:00 AM and 1:30 PM to explore where dragons appear in Victoria’s Chinatown, dragon lore, and uncover Chinatown’s history dating back to 1858 (book ahead at register.dragonboatbc.ca).
Traditionally held in August since the 1994 Commonwealth Games, the Festival has moved to June for 2026 to accommodate a one-time event being held in the Inner Harbour, as well as dragon boat race circuit changes due to global sport events in Vancouver. Coincidentally, this year’s Festival date will also coincide with the traditional date of the Duan Wu Festival (端午節) - the ancient event that the modern dragon boat festival is now based on. The Festival will return to its usual August date in 2027.
The Festival is supported by Canada Dry, Fairway Markets, Coca-Cola, Government of Canada, City of Victoria, Greater Victoria Harbour Authority, Greater Victoria Sport Tourism Commission, and VI Paddling.
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