Returning for its 25th year at Sloan Lake we anxiously await the Dragon Boat Festival. Setting sail this Saturday, September 6 through Sunday, September 7 – this is a celebration you won’t want to miss. Each summer season, the Dragon Boat Festival commemorates the ancient tradition of dragon boat racing while bringing together Asian American and Pacific Islander cultures in a glorious weekend of fun. The festival promises a weekend filled with cultural performances, diverse food vendors and so much more to explore. Be sure to arrive early, as the races begin at 8 a.m., and for the late comers, festivities start at 10 a.m. If this is not exciting enough it is about to get better – DBF is free and all are welcome! We are lucky enough to connect with Sara Moore, Executive Director for the Dragon Boat Festival, and we gained valuable insights on festival expectations.
303 Magazine: Could you give us a brief overview of the Denver Dragon Boat Festival? What can attendees expect this year?
Dragon Boat Festival: This year is the 25th anniversary of the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival. We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit that hosts this annual event whose mission is to build bridges of awareness, knowledge, and understanding between the diverse Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities and the general public through cultural education, leadership development, and athletic competition. At the festival we uplift and recognize the amazing contributions and accomplishments of the AANHPI community through celebration and immersion. We do this in many ways including dragon boat races all day both days, three performance stages with over 60 local performances, a large Asian and BIPOC marketplace, two huge food courts and a dragonland area for kids and education. There’s something for everyone.
303: What makes this year’s festival special or different from previous years? Are there any new attractions or expanded offerings?
DBF: This year is bigger and better than ever with it being our 25th anniversary. We will be highlighting our 2025 poster design winner alongside with her heartwarming story behind her design. We had a brand new Haiku contest this year that we will be announcing the winners on our 360 stage. And the biggest addition and celebration is the twist on our annual Opening Ceremony taking place on Saturday, September 6, starting at 9:50 am at our Band Stage. This year’s traditional blessing will take place with monks from the Great Dharma Chen Monastery (located in Boulder). Our monks will not only bless the festival, but do an eye dotting ceremony to bless and give luck to all racers at the festival. New with this opening ceremony, we will be hosting our dignitaries in our reenactment of the legend of dragon boating. They will board one of our dragon boats and you can watch them glide across Sloan’s lake as our storyteller describes the legend of how dragon boating came about. We are very excited for this important, traditional, aspect of our festival to educate the masses on the history of dragon boating.
303: How has the festival grown since its inception in 2001?
DBF: We have grown significantly in the last 25 years. We started as a one-day festival with over 15,000 attendees to the largest dragon boating festival in the USA! We currently have over 200,000 individuals come and enjoy our festival, and we are looking forward to even more this year! As an overall nonprofit organization, we have grown substantially as well. We host four different programs/ events throughout the year, including the only all Asian and Asian American film festival in Colorado. We also host a dragon boat regatta and night market up in Adams County later in September, on Saturday the 27. Last, but not least, we host an AANHPI leadership program for young professionals.
303: How many food vendors will be participating in the Taste of Asia food courts, and what kind of culinary experience can visitors expect? How are the food and beverage vendors selected for the festival?
DBF: We have SO MANY great food vendors onsite! We have over 30 food vendors on-site in our Taste of Asia food courts and within our marketplace. Check out our website for a complete list, but definitely come hungry to our event as food will be readily available for you to taste the flavors of Asia and the Pacific! We have food for everyone on-site, ranging from many different flavors and expertise. All local businesses so all of your purchases go back into our local economy! We open our food vendor applications at the beginning of the year in February and invite everyone to apply to join our festival. Our Taste of Asia coordinators work to ensure that we have representation from all corners of the world and something for everyone. We also focus on ensuring we are uplifting local businesses in Colorado and the surrounding states.
303: What makes the food experience at the festival unique and special?
DBF: The food experience at our festival is like nothing else. Not only do we have over 30 food vendors on-site, but we also have a huge variety of food flavors, options and all with an Asian flair. Again, all of these vendors are local and small businesses that we are happy to uplift!
303: How has the food experience evolved over the years, and what changes are planned for the future?
DBF: The Food experience has evolved greatly over the year. In 2001 we had 5 food vendors onsite and due to the huge amount of crowds, these food vendors had to go back to their store fronts multiple times to restock! They actually ran out of food the first year because we had such huge crowds! This was an amazing start to this festival and a way to ensure that food was always going to be a staple at CDBF. Since then we have grown to over 30 food vendors onsite which range from traditional Asian cuisine to fusion, to new creations by BIPOC owners.
303: What steps are taken to ensure a diverse representation of Asian cuisines and flavors at the festival?
DBF: We work with local food business owners who all have their own unique stories of how they got their start. Many are family-owned and operated businesses that really highlight the Asian community and how important food is in the AANHPI culture.
303: What are some unique or culturally significant dishes that attendees should make sure to try?
DBF: Try it all! We have so much food onsite you will not go hungry. Each vendor has their own flavor and spin on their traditional food that you don’t want to miss.
303: Are there any food demonstrations or educational aspects related to the cuisine at the festival?
DBF: There are no food demonstrations unfortunately due to the permitting restrictions at the park, however there is always time to chat with your favorite food vendor onsite to dive deep into their reason behind having their company and how they came to be. Also, make sure to chat with your neighbor about what food they are eating and why. There are so many stories and fun experiences that happen over a shared meal.
303: How does the food experience at the festival contribute to celebrating and promoting Asian culture?
DBF: Food is so important in the AANHPI community. This is a main way that we share love and emotion with each other, is by sharing food. We want to make sure everyone is well-fed at our festival because many of us remember and experience this every time we go to our family gatherings. Let’s all share stories, love and connection over delicious food and drinks.
303: Are there traditional foods served at the festival that hold particular significance for the Dragon Boat Festival specifically?
DBF: We are happy to hear that Zoe Ma Ma will be serving zongzi (zaang-zee) until gone. This is the traditional food of Dragon Boat Festivals.
303: In what ways does the festival encourage attendees to learn about the cultural origins and stories behind the food?
DBF: We are always encouraging our attendees to learn more about cultural and traditions within the AANHPI communities. With food, we hope that people try new things and fall in love with new flavors and sensations. This will hopefully encourage them to patron our food vendors at their brick and mortars after the festival where they can learn more about their favorite dishes while promoting and uplifting local small businesses.
There you have it, Denver.
Join us as we attend the famous boat racing competition, indulge in delicious food, and enjoy live performances. We simply can’t wait for this weekend and we look forward to seeing you there.
The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival takes place on Saturday, September 6, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, September 7, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Sloan Lake. Visit its website for more information.