Cultural Displays and Pavilions

Dragon boat comes from an ancient Chinese tradition that is equal parts racing and culture, but also a showcase of the local community. Join us on Championship Weekend and explore the interactions between tradition and the current-day multicultural communities that make up our social fabric.

Championship Weekend –  June 25-26, 2022

Chinese Cultural Pavilion  |  Creekside Park North

The Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival recognizes the deep roots of the Festival in Chinese tradition and culture. As part of an overall effort to ground the Festival in equal parts culture and sport, we are delighted to work with cultural partners to present the Chinese Cultural Pavilion. 

Saturday June 25 Participating Organizations and Demonstration Times

• Arts and Crafts: Dragon Boat Festival Theme (10:00 AM-6:00 PM)
• Buddha Boards: practice your calligraphy (10:00 AM-6:00 PM)
• Lion and Dragon Dance mini display (10:00 AM-6:00 PM)
• Guzheng Performance (10:00 AM-2:00 PM)
• Hon Hsing Athletic Club Golden Dragon Performances (12:00-3:00 PM)
• Tea Ceremony Demonstrations (1:30-6:00 PM)
• Chinese Seal Carving demonstration by Master Jiangang Su (Time TBA)

Sunday June 26 Participating Organizations and Demonstration Times

• Arts and Crafts: Dragon Boat Festival Theme (10:00 AM-6:00 PM)
• Buddha Boards: practice your calligraphy (10:00 AM-6:00 PM)
• Lion and Dragon Dance mini display (10:00 AM-6:00 PM)
• Tea Ceremony Demonstrations (10:00 AM-6:00 PM)
• Hon Hsing Athletic Club Golden Dragon Performances (12:00-3:00 PM)
• Chinese Gongbi Fine Art Painting demonstration by Master Jiangang Su (Time TBA)

Indigenous Cultural Pavilion  |  Creekside Park North

The Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival is hosted on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded lands and waters of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) nations. As part of our efforts to engage with Indigenous communities and to highlight the deep culture of the territories we now occupy, we are pleased to work with local Indigenous artists, elders, and organizations to program the Indigenous Cultural Pavilion.

Note: Spoken Treasures tour themes include: The Story of the Land, Salish People and Culture, Canoe Culture,  The history of Vancouver Through Indigenous Eyes, History, Indigenous Trade, Travel, War and Peace. Please sign up ahead of time at the Talaysay Tours table in the Indigenous Cultural Pavilion.

Saturday June 25 Participating Organizations and Demonstration Times

• Squamish Pole Carving Demonstration: Darren Yelton (10:00 AM-6:00 PM)
• Spoken Treasures (10:00 AM)
• Spoken Treasures (12:00 PM)
• Spoken Treasures (2:00 PM)

Sunday June 26 Participating Organizations and Demonstration Times

• Squamish Pole Carving Demonstration: Darren Yelton (10:00 AM-6:00 PM)
• Spoken Treasures (10:00 AM)
• Spoken Treasures (12:00 PM)

Dragon Boat Public Art Program  |  Creekside Park North and South
With the support of the BC Arts Council.

To celebrate the arrival of a new era in dragon boat racing in BC, we have a special public art program on display at this year’s Festival! Thanks to the support of the Province of British Columbia and Concord Pacific, this year’s Festival will see the debut of 18 new dragon boats.

Marking this extraordinary occasion, the Festival has commissioned 9 different artists to create artwork around the theme of community, culture, and competition. See the boats race on land, and see the artwork up close on land around the site!

Participating artists include:

• Bagua Artist Association: Bedecked with Pearls and Glimmering Jade
• Carmen Chan: Rice and Rain
• Chairman Ting: Billion Buns
• Chepximiya Siyam/Chief Janice George and Skwetsimeltxw Willard ‘Buddy’ Joseph: Midnight Lightning
• Debra Sparrow: A Hundred Years of History
• Derek Tam: Convergence
• Joslyn Reid: Good Sport
• Kari Kristensen: Paper Boats
• Ocean Hyland: People of the Inlet

Expo 86 Original Teak Dragon Boat Display  |  Creekside Park North by Main Stage
With the support of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Toronto).

See one of the original teak boats used at Expo 86 to launch dragon boat racing in Canada! After being restored in 2017, the boat now returns to Vancouver and False Creek as part of a mobile display to reconnect paddlers to their heritage. The display will also feature archival clippings from when the boats were originally unveiled in 1986, as well as information on dragon boat’s evolution in Vancouver!

Pre-Festival Activities

2022 Festival Preview and Unveiling  |  Thursday June 9, 10:00 AM  |  Concord Pacific Place

Meet us at the intersection of sport and culture.  

Join us as we launch the 2022 Festival, with race program information and introduction of our cultural program. Plus, watch as we unveil the Festival’s BIGGEST ever addition, supported by Concord Pacific and the Government of British Columbia!

• FREE ADMISSION
• Concord Pacific Place, 88 Pacific Boulevard
• Parking at Concord Pacific Place (entry from Carrall Street and Pacific Boulevard)

Public Art Program Preview  |  Friday June 10, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Saturday June 11, 10:00 AM-2:00 PM |  Concord Community Park

Community, culture, and competition. All in one boat.  

Get a sneak preview of our new public art program as you view our new racing boats up close at Concord Community Park!

• FREE ADMISSION
• Concord Community Park, 50 Pacific Boulevard

2022 Festival Blessing Ceremony  |  Saturday June 11, 2:00 PM  |  Concord Community Park

An ancient ceremony conducted on the shores of False Creek. Join us as our newest dragon boats come to life.  

The Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival Society is honoured to invite you to witness an ancient Taoist blessing and eye-dotting ceremony. Be present as our dragon boats come to life for the first time, and the spirit of the dragon is summoned to the water in advance of the Festival. This event is conducted by the International Taoist Church of Canada. Click here to learn more.

• FREE ADMISSION
• Concord Community Park, 50 Pacific Boulevard
• Parking at Concord Pacific Place (entry from Carrall Street and Pacific Boulevard)

Cultural programs presented with the support of: