The Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival will be returning this year to North Park Lake (map) on September 30. From the organizers' press release:
Pittsburgh Hearts of Steel Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat Team is hosting a dragon boat festival on Saturday, September 30, 2023, from 8:30am-3:30 pm at North Park Lake Boathouse. REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
Now in its fifth year, this vibrant event at North Park Lake brings together the exciting sport of dragon boat racing, entertainment, food, and fun family activities!
At this year’s festival, community, youth, competitive, para-paddlers, all cancer survivors, and breast cancer survivor teams will compete in spirited races at beautiful North Park. Anyone can learn how to paddle a dragon boat. Interested individuals can form a team by gathering 20-24 of their friends, family and co-workers. Every team will get a one-hour lesson/practice the week before the race and all equipment will be supplied. Register online at https://www.pghdragonboatfestival.org/, by no later than September 16, 2023. Paddlers must be 12 years of age and older.
In addition to the dragon boat races, there will be cultural performances, family-friendly activities, vendors and food trucks.
Opportunities are still available to join and support the event through team registration, sponsorship, and vendor booths.
Proceeds from the Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival will benefit Hearts of Steel. Hearts of Steel
https://www.heartsofsteelpittsburgh.org/ is an all-breast cancer survivor dragon boat team formed in 2017. The team includes survivors from age 24 to 80. The mission of Hearts of Steel is to gather breast cancer survivors, young and old, strong or weak, no matter gender, ethnic or religious background. All breast cancer survivors are welcome. Through Dragon Boating, survivors are encouraged to lead full and active lives.
More Information on Dragon Boat Racing:
A dragon boat is a 40-foot canoe adorned with a dragon head and tail that seats 20 paddlers in pairs on 10 benches, a drummer in the front to keep a steady cadence for paddlers to follow in sync and a steersperson in the back. It is an amazing team building sport as all 20 paddlers must work together as one to move the boat smoothly and quickly through the water.
Dragon boat racing started almost 2300 years ago in China. The modern era of Dragon Boat racing began in 1976, and the sport debuted in the United States in the early 80’s, growing exponentially since then.
About HEARTS OF STEEL: Hearts of Steel is a non-profit organization that empowers all Breast Cancer Survivors to strengthen mind, body and spirit through camaraderie and the sport of Dragon Boat Paddling. Hearts of Steel is registered under Three Rivers Rowing Association’s 501(c)3, not-for-profit. For more information about the organization or about the festival, please go to http://pghdragonboatfestival.org. 100% of all donations are used solely for the activities, education and needs of Breast Cancer Survivors.