Abreast In A Boat 30th Anniversary Breast Cancer Division

BREAST CANCER PADDLERS: WELCOME HOME TO VANCOUVER!

Join us in Vancouver where the movement began 30 years ago, for an unforgettable celebration! Race in the breast cancer division; connect with fellow paddlers; and enjoy welcome receptions, meet-and-greets with Dr Don McKenzie, the “Originals” and other guests. Expect surprises, new friendships, and experience the powerful camaraderie that unites us all! Full details of the Festival will be unveiled starting Tuesday May 20!

Friday June 20: 30th Anniversary Global Reunion Party

• Land Activities: TD Main Stage at Concord Pacific Place, 5:50 PM-8:30 PM
• Water Training: Creekside Paddling Centre, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM

Kick start your Festival weekend with us on the Festival site at Concord Pacific Place! Get acquainted with the waters where you’ll be paddling with visiting team practices running from 9:00 AM until 6:00 PM, but then head over to the TD Main Stage to get the party started!

Enjoy entertainment that links you back to dragon boat’s Chinese roots starting at 5:50 PM, hear from speakers including Dr. Don and the Originals at 6:00 PM sharp, then dance the night away (to a reasonable hour; after all, you have racing in the morning) before you head off to get some sleep!

And, of course, what’s a big birthday party without a bit of cake? We’re switching things up; start with dessert and a celebratory slice of cake at 6:30 PM, then use your included food and drink tickets for a few snacks while you meet paddlers from around the world.

Please note: training sessions must be booked ahead of time, and are available on a first come, first served reservation basis via email at info@dragonboatbc.ca. Specific instructions have been emailed to all team administrators; please review your info. Training slots are available starting Monday June 16.

Saturday June 21: Get your Race On!

• Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival Public Land Activities, 10:00 AM-8:30 PM
• Races Run: 8:00 AM-8:00 PM

The biggest dragon boat festival on the continent start with the first race horn at 8:00 AM; don’t miss the action right in front of Racer Village and the TD Main Stage Zone– or online at concordlive.ca and Dragon Boat BC’s YouTube page for all your friends and family watching from home! Get set for two exciting 500M races in the AIAB 30th Anniversary Division on Saturday, which will seed you into Sunday’s semi-finals and finals.

There’s so much more to do at the Festival! Take a piece of Vancouver home with you with 50+ local artisans and vendors on-site at one of Vancouver’s biggest outdoor craft markets curated by GotCraft Markets, sample some of Vancouver’s great culinary scene with 20+ food trucks and the city’s biggest waterfront outdoor patio, and hear some of Vancouver’s best music artists- including two Juno-award winning headliners hitting the TD Main Stage starting at 6:00 PM.

Then, visit all of our Pavilions on site to learn more about our community; from the Chinatown Pavilion’s interactive and historic lessons, to the Indigenous Pavilion’s innovative and engaging demonstrations, and the Pride Pavilion’s colour, you’ll want to spend a few hours in the Concord Community Stage Zone to the East of the TD Main Stage Zone to explore Vancouver’s stories.

And, of course, your home base is at the Abreast In A Boat Pavilion, where you’ll have the chance to meet and engage with Dr. Don, the Originals, meet breast cancer teams from around the world to trade souvenirs or unique items- or just build up a global network in the spirit of paddling!

Sunday June 22: Down to the wire; medals are on the line!

• Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival Public Land Activities, 10:00 AM-8:30 PM
• Races Run: 8:00 AM-7:00 PM
• Flower Ceremony: immediately after the Abreast In A Boat 30th Anniversary Division Grand Final (expected around 1:00-2:00 PM)

This is what it all comes to: the finals are where things come to a head! From Sunday morning’s semi-finals, you’ll be seeded into your final races, where every second matters on the legendary False Creek race course. Make your mark in history on the exact same water and race course where breast cancer dragon boat paddling’s story started in 1996!

Immediately after the AIAB 30th Anniversary Division Grand Final, 18 boats will come together on the water directly in front of the Concord Pacific Presentation Centre for a moment of remembrance to honour those that have battled- and continue to battle breast cancer. 30 years of strength and stories are honoured in a poignant moment that cuts across age, geography, and background. Timing of the flower ceremony will shift depending on the race schedule, but we estimate the ceremony to occur at some point between 1:00-2:00 PM.

From there, we celebrate unity and commitment. Come back together and raise a glass on Vancouver’s biggest waterfront patio to three days of amazing memories and 30 years of history while you party to some of Vancouver’s most exciting artists at the TD Main Stage Zone. And while your racing might be over, that doesn’t mean the races are done: watch some of the most exciting and competitive races on the continent take off right in front of you, culminating in the world’s largest 2K race as 18 boats take off during the Concord Pacific Premier Mixed Guts and Glory Grand Final (estimated around 7:00 PM)!

Before and After the Festival

Go beyond False Creek, and make memories with all the teams coming into Vancouver! Your racer wristband gets you unique discounts around the City; visit concorddragonboatfestival.ca/wristband for more information on unique offers. If you’re visiting from out of town, head to concorddragonboatfestival.ca/visitingteams for reminders on visas, special hotel offers, and info on how to leverage Vancouver’s public transit network to get you efficiently around to all the different spots, and to the Festival site- we’re just a 5 minute walk away from Stadium-Chinatown SkyTrain Station!

If you are in Vancouver on June 14, we invite you to Creekside Paddling Centre at 1 Athletes Way to witness an ancient Taoist blessing ceremony as the Festival’s boats and site are blessed and cleansed. More information is available at dragonboatbc.ca/history.

Need more help? Email us at info@dragonboatbc.ca for assistance.

Presented in partnership between Abreast In A Boat and Dragon Boat BC.