The Dragon Boat Festival returned triumphantly to Hong Kong on June 22 after a few years of absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven districts in Hong Kong, including Stanley, Aberdeen, and Tai O, organized large-scale dragon boat races this year. Additionally, unaffiliated with the Government Tourism Bureau, various local villages held smaller yet culturally rich dragon boat festival activities. These events, though scaled-down, exuded traditional Chinese culture and reflected the reverence and devotion of the fishermen towards their deities.
168 Teams Compete in the Stanley Races
Despite the hot and stuffy weather, the festive spirit prevailed as people enthusiastically immersed themselves in the atmosphere. Participants could be seen preparing for the competition early in the morning at Stanley Beach, attracting a crowd of spectators who came to watch the races, cheer for their favorite teams, and capture photos with the dragon boats. Some families brought their young children along to partake in the tradition of “Swimming in the path of the dragon.”The Stanley International Dragon Boat Championships drew 168 teams from Hong Kong and abroad, comprising over 5,000 dragon boat racers, predominantly from the finance sector. Contestants warmed up on-site, stretching and getting ready for the competition. They cheered each other on and took group photos to commemorate the event.
