Location

What is Race Weekend like?

Race Weekend is an exciting event. The Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race is held at the South Hawthorne Waterfront Park, the same location as the Blues Festival. Each team is assigned a tent where they can prep, store their food and equipment, as well as mingle with their friends, family, and fans. The bowl leads all the way to the water, with an amazing vantage point of the races.

Each race heat is 500m long, generally between 4 traditional-style dragon boat teams, and ends near the bowl itself. The race ends when each team’s flag catcher leans out from the Dragon’s Head and captures their teams flag. You can find the race schedule, and standings on our Race Results & Information page.

Our Traditional-Style Dragon Boats are incredibly special. Made in Taiwan, they are wood and fiberglass, with an ornate colorful dragon’s head at the front with a beautiful tale at the end. Each boat is 40 feet long and during a race has a caller (coach), drum, tiller, flag catcher, and 20 paddlers. They are heavier than the Hong Kong-style dragon boats, but our teams get them up and moving quite powerfully.

At the end of Sunday’s races the winner’s of the Mixed, Open, and Women’s divisions will receive their medals near the volunteer tents and pose for a team portrait that can be viewed in our Race Results page, as well as our Race Winners Archive.

Each year we invite vendors that supply Food/Drink, Arts & Crafts, Retail, and Information. They can be found on the North End of the bowl towards the Hawthorne Bridge. Please visit them, and enjoy all they have to offer.

Announcers call each race over a PA system so that all can hear who is racing and be made aware of any announcements. Saturday are the trials, and Sunday are the playoff rounds and finals. Race Results can be followed here.

It is highly recommended that you check the weather for race weekend and plan accordingly. The event space is grass covered with a lot of ducks roaming around. Many choose to bring blankets, chairs, food and drink, and rain gear if needed.

Drugs and alcohol are not permitted within the park. Street parking is within walking distance, as are a few parking garages. There are bathrooms on site for racers and spectators.

Come enjoy this spectacular cultural sporting event held by the PKSCA as part of the Portland Rose Festival. Also look for our floats in the Starlight Parade and Grand Floral Parade.

The event is free and open to the public.