There are dragons... at least in boat form!

The "Tim Hortons" dragon boat festival is set to get underway June 18-20 / 10 at Mooney's Bay, Ottawa.

Details about the festival are:

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North America’s largest dragon boat festival
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The Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival began in 1993 with the assistance of the Hong Kong Canada Business Association
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2010 marks the 17th Annual Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival
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Original Founders are Frank Ling, President of the Asian Heritage Month Society, Warren Creates, Head of Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall LLP’s Immigration Law Group and Mike Chambers, President of the Canadian Olympic Committee
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Executive Director John Brooman
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Represented by Ottawa’s three largest media groups: CTV, CHUM & The Ottawa Citizen

Logistics

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A non-profit festival with free admission to spectators
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Held at Mooney’s Bay Park on Riverside Drive in Ottawa
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65,000 attendees over 3 days
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350 volunteers
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Free downtown parking and shuttle service, with bike parking available on site

Onsite Entertainment & Activities

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Multicultural performances including live music, cultural presentations, and ceremonial activities
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Roving entertainment
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Children’s area featuring award winning family entertainment
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Beer Garden
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Food Vendors featuring international cuisine and summer desserts
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Exhibitions and shopping opportunities

Dragon Boating

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Part of a larger Chinese cultural tradition that goes back 2,400 years
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Began in South East China as a fertility rite to avert misfortune and bring rain by worshiping the dragon
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A Dragon Boat is a slim 44’ racer with a dragon’s head at the bow and a tail at the stern
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Each Dragon Boat holds 20 paddlers, a drummer and a steersperson
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190 teams participate including both corporate and community groups
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New race every 9 minutes
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15 Challenge Cup Categories
* Breast Cancer Survivor Challenge and traditional Flower Ceremony
* 1,500 medals awarded
* Approximately 5,000 paddlers
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Paddlers participate in dragon boat clubs across Canada, from as far west as British Columbia and as far east as Newfoundland.

Here is the website for complete information:

www.dragonboat.net