Dragon Boats on the Nene
IT IS expected that hundreds of people will be taking to the water at the 14th spectacular Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival on the Nene.
There are 28 crews racing the 30 feet brightly painted Chinese dragon boats three at a time over the 200m course on the river besides the Key Theatre in the city centre, with several thousand spectators expected.
Every 10 minutes
Races will take place every 10 minutes between 10.30am and 4.30pm, and at the end of the afternoon trophies will be presented to the winning crews, the second and third placed crews, the team that raises the most money for Festival nominated charity—East Anglia's Children's Hospices, the top mixed crew and the ‘best dressed' crew.
The hospice is one of many good causes set to benefit from sponsorship raised by the crews and the city centre floating Peking restaurant, the Grain Barge, that has donated a special meal for the crew that raises the most.
New teams
Carol Lester of Festival organisers, Gable Events, comments:
"The introduction of our smaller (11 person) dragon boats this year has resulted in an influx of new teams and we are looking forward to another fantastic day, jam-packed with racing and entertainment. Amongst those taking to the water are companies as diverse as Aldermore Bank, Accent Nene, Dalrod, Data Interchange, Gambro, Gildenburgh, Indesit Company, Willis Gambier, PS Financials, Sainsbury's, British Sugar, Veterinary Business Development, the Army, Peterborough Regional College, the Holiday Inn and Park Inn.
"Our Festival supporters, the Peterborough Telegraph, Heart, Peterborough City Council and the Grain Barge have been great this year and we are sure that teams and Festival visitors alike will have a great day."
Family activities
As well as races every 10 minutes throughout the day, there will be a whole host of family activities on the bank to keep teams and spectators entertained including a large funfair, fun inflatables, face painting, and some escapology from street entertainer, Gareth Jones. East Anglia's Children's Hospices will also have an information point where you can learn more about what this charity does. The picture is of the 2011 Winning Team, Radical Motorsports.
Entrance to the Festival is free to spectators and parking is available at the Key Theatre, Bishop's Road and Pleasure Fair Meadow car parks (standard ‘pay and display' City Council parking charges apply).
The history
Dragon boat racing has an ancient Chinese history and the Festival is a re-enactment of a tragic event that took place more than 2000 years ago in the kingdom of Chu. Legend has it that falsely accused of treason and exiled by jealous rivals in the government, despairing warrior poet, Qu Yuan, threw himself into the Mi Lo River.
Local fishermen rowed out to save the drowning poet and tried to rescue him from vicious fish by beating the water with their paddles. But their attempts failed and every year in Hong Kong a Tuen Ng (Dragon Boat) Festival is held as a mark of respect for the fishermen's frantic efforts and to commemorate the tragic death of Qu Yuan.