What is the Texarkana Dragon Boat Festival?
Dragon Boat Racing is one of the fastest growing team sports in the world. HandsOn Texarkana brought the sport to Texarkana for the first time in 2016. The festival has become a phenominal success, with as many as 10,000 people attending the event. Teams of 20 paddlers and a drummer propel 46 foot long “dragon boats” along a 300 meter course for fun, trophies and or course bragging rights. Food and craft vendors, a kids play area and live entertainment make for a day of fun for the entire family!
WHERE IS IT?
Bringle Lake Park, Texarkana, Texas
WHEN DOES THE FUN BEGIN?
Races begin at 9:00 am on May 13, 2023
WHY HAVE A DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL?
There has never been a greater need for volunteer services in the Texarkana area. HandsOn Texarkana meets those needs by placing volunteers in a variety of programs, including disaster preparedness, parenting classes, transportation for the elderly and youth volunteer programs in our schools. By supporting the Texarkana Dragon Boat Festival you are helping HandsOn make Texarkana a better place to live. And you will have a great time participating in this event.
Annual Texarkana Dragon Boat Festival
Saturday, May 13, 2023
Bringle Lake Park, Texarkana TX
Come out and cheer on the teams as they race, enjoy food, music, and shop vendor booths!
About Dragon Boat Racing
With origins dating back 2,300 years, dragon boat racing is gaining in popularity world wide. Teams race in authentic 46 foot long dragon boats, which hold 20 paddlers and a drummer, who sits at the front of the boat beating a cadence to help coordinate paddle strokes and get to the finish line first. Participants rave about the excitement, friendly competition and community spirit surrounding the event.
So you have never paddled a boat? No problem! Our team of experts will show you everything you need to know (you get a training/practice session the week of the race). Regardless of your age, skill and fitness levels, you will perfect your timing and paddle strokes for this ultimate teamwork experience.
What makes this event so exciting is the thrill, the teamwork, the costumes and interaction with your team. People are drawn to this sport because it exemplifies human connectivity on a level comparable to nothing else. Even people who don’t consider themselves as athletes thrive in the dragon boat race setting. And even finely tuned athletes discover this as a challenging alternative to general sports
