AWAKEN THE DRAGON! 
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Culture
The Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association (PKSCA) is focused on celebrating the culture of Portland’s Taiwanese sister city, Kaohsiung. Our mission aims to foster community and enrich both cities.
We have programs covering scholarships, cultural performances, and exchange programs. Additionally, we share our vibrant community through participation and performance in the Grand Floral Parade and Starlight Parade during the Portland Rose Festival… Learn More
Dragon Boat Race
The Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race is an annual event held the 2nd Saturday after Memorial Day. It takes place at the South Hawthorne Waterfront Park on the Willamette River.
The PKSCA has hosted this event as part of the Portland Rose Festival since 1989. This event celebrates an ancient tradition, starting with the awakening of the dragons and culminating in the exciting race weekend. Diverse teams come from all around to compete in Women’s, Mixed, and Open divisions. Our boats are very special Traditional-Style Dragon Boats… Learn More
Support
The PKSCA is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Our wonderful volunteers assist in organizing cultural events, including the dragon boat race and fundraising.
They also maintain our Traditional-Style Dragon Boats and help with our participation in the Rose Festival parades. There are ample opportunities to contribute to the community through donations, sponsorship, and volunteering your skills and time. We have both short-term and long-term volunteer opportunities available. Come help build and maintain our programs throughout this exciting community… Learn More
Mission of the Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association
Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association (PKSCA) promotes people-to-people exchanges through educational, artistic, and cultural activities.
PKSCA maintains several programs that focus on and support our mission. These include the annual Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race, participation in the Portland Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade and Starlight Parade, annual goodwill delegation exchanges between Portland and Kaohsiung, and support for Portland Chinese organizations and programs… Learn More
Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation – EIN: 93-1018684
History of the PKSCA
The Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association was founded in November 1987. The Portland City Council officially approved Kaohsiung as Portland’s Sister City on May 11, 1988. At Mayor Clark’s suggestion, the original six-member board was enlarged to fifteen to represent the many facets of the metropolitan community.
During the Association’s first goodwill mission to Kaohsiung, Commissioners Dick Bogle and Mike Lindberg signed the sister city agreement with Kaohsiung’s Mayor Nan Cheng Su on October 11, 1988. To signify the cities’ mutual tie with the Pacific Ocean, the Association presented a unique gift: a freshly caught, 36-pound Tillamook Bay Chinook salmon.
When the Association selected dragon boat racing as an annual cultural event, Mayor Su promptly donated two boats as a gift to the Association. A third boat was donated by the Republic of China, and the fourth was purchased by the Association.
All of them arrived at the Port of Portland’s Terminal 6 on March 31, 1989, aboard Evergreen’s container ship, Evergoing. On April 10, the elaborately decorated boats made their debut during a special Buddhist ceremony, which included water effects by the Portland Fire Bureau’s fireboat. The boats were launched from the lawn of Waterfront Park using a 75-foot crane… Learn More
