SALISBURY — The Rowan Chamber Dragon Boat Festival is set to kick off its eighth year of fun, games, competitions and festivities this weekend on High Rock Lake.

The free festival is scheduled to take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Shrine Club along the lake and more than 3,000 spectators are expected to watch or participate.

The dragon boats will feature teams of 20 paddlers, of which at least eight must be women, as well as a drummer on board the boat.

The boat competition will involve multiple teams competing in three different “rounds” over a 300 meter course on the lake.

Dragon boat racing is a 2,300-year-old tradition from ancient China with sleek 45-foot boats clad in dragon heads, tails and scales that can accommodate 20 paddlers each. Colorful drummers sit up front and beat the drums to the rhythm of the paddlers’ stroke, and a helmsman stands in the back to guide the team through the course of the race.

Equipment and boats for each team participating on Saturday are provided by Pan Am Dragon Boat, a “full-service dragon boat production company,” which will support the club, corporate and community class rowers of the teams and participants.

While attendee registration has already taken place, the show promises to draw crowds from Rowan County and beyond.

The festival programme, including the races, is:

• 8 a.m. — Spectator doors open and vendor is ready for business
• 9 a.m. — Opening ceremonies, start of races
• noon — Lunch break with entertainment, festivities and parade of drums
  • • Novant Health Corporate Cup Awards Ceremony
    • Sydney Lett, country music singer/songwriter
• 1 p.m. — Semi-finals
• 2 p.m. — Championship
• 3:30 p.m. — Prize giving

Along with the shopping, visitors will also be invited to check out the many food trucks and vendors on site throughout the day, including Som’s Teriyaki Chicken, Lobster Dog, The Hot Dog Shack, The Little Piggy, Mollie’s Minis, High Rock Kettlecorn. , Boardwalk Baker cheesecakes, KB Deal ice cream and Italian Dolce ice cream.

A variety of local drinks will be available to guests as the day heats up.

“The New Sarum Brewing company will be offering a special dragon boat craft beer with dragon fruit and rice lager that will only be available to festival attendees, and last year they sold out before the end of the day,” said Rowan Chamber President Elaine Spalding. “United Beverages will also have Miller Beer products, we will have Cheerwine and plenty of bottled water to keep everyone hydrated.”

Doug Rice, President and Anchor of the Performance Racing Network and host of PRN NACAR’s weekly “Fast Talk” talk show, will be working onsite as the official Dragon Boat Race emcee for the day. .

Additional entertainment will include Livingstone College radio station host Mz Good Newz, Genia Woods providing music between races and rising country music star Sydney Lett, who will sing the national anthem and perform during midday lunch break. .

The Chamber asks visitors to bring a canned or canned non-perishable food donation item for Rowan Helping Ministries.

“As a board member of RHM, I know their pantry is extremely low. As children are out of school during the summer months, it is important to provide food to families in need,” said dragon wellat President Daniel Matangira,

“RHM will provide a trailer for dragon wellat participants to deposit their donations and they will collect the trailer after the event. There is no charge to attend the Dragon Boat Festival, so this will be considered your optional donation item to help our community.

Parking is $5 per car as a fundraiser for the East Rowan High School Booster Club and carpooling is encouraged with parking also available in lots adjacent to the Shrine Club. Novant Health Rowan Medical Center offers trolley rides between the parking areas and the Shrine Club property.

Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets, although no pets, coolers or outside food are allowed at this event.

For more information contact the Rowan Chamber at 704-633-4221 or [email protected] or follow them on #DragonBoatsRowan2022 or visit https://rowanchamberdragonboat.org/