Info & FAQ's

This section will cover off all the information you will need to know during your stay in Banff National Park as well as some frequently asked questions about the Banff National Park Dragon Boat Festival.

Frequently Asked Questions :

What equipment do I need to bring?
The Banff National Park Dragon Boat Festival will supply all boats and equipment including paddles and PFD's. However; if you have an approved PFD of your own and your favourite paddle, you can use it.

What should I wear?
Dragon Boat racing is a water sport and some splashing should be expected! Runners or sandals are typical footwear worn in the boat and fast drying shorts and shirts are preferable. It is advisable that your bring a small selection of clothing to the lake as the mountain weather can be unpredicable.

Are Team tents supplied?
The Festival does not supply or rent tents, so please be sure to bring your own set up for a full day out at the Lake.

Can I leave my tent overnight?
Yes, all tents, chairs & BBQ's can remain overnight, but please remember to collapse and store everything neatly and out of the way.  There will be overnight security but please do not leave anything of particular value overnight.

How can we get our tents, chairs, & BBQ's out to the event site?
The Paddler's Express Participant Shuttle has plenty of storage to transport your equipment out to the event site.

Are food and drinks available at the Festival?
On site, there is a concession which you can purchase food, drinks and other snacks. The information tent will also have drinking water available for those with re-usable bottles. As this is a Towards Zero Waste event, disposable cups will not be available.

Can we bring our own food?
Absolutely! We would like to remind you that we are in a National Park and there is a high likelihood of animals being within the area. Please do not leave food unattended at any time, and all items should be correctly stored. At the end of the day, please remember to remove all food items and correctly dispose of any garbage or recyclables at our Towards Zero Waste booth.

Will there be any prizes?
Winner's medallions will be awarded to the top three teams in each division. Division A winners and winners of the Women's Category will receive a trophy. 

Can I drive my car to the lake?
Participants are required to catch the Paddler's Express Participant Shuttle from the Town of Banff to Lake Minnewanka. There is absolutely no participant parking at the event site and participant cars will be turned away.

Can my friends and family drive to the lake?
As parking is extremley limited at Lake Minnewanka we encourage all spectators, friends and family to catch the free and convenient Dragon Express Public Shuttle. Buses leave every 30 minutes to an hour from the Town of Banff to the lake return. Avoid the hassle and take the shuttle!

Can my friends and family catch the Paddler's Express Participant Shuttle?
As the Paddler's Express is limited to registered participants only, the free Dragon Express Public Shuttle is scheduled to depart from the same location at the Mount Royal Hotel every 30 minutes from 8:00am until 9:30am followed by pick-ups every hour on the hour.

Dogs?
Dogs are not allowed to ride on bus with team members.  We do suggest that you leave your dog at home for the weekend if at all possible.

If I am a participant, how do I know which team shuttle to take to and from the lake?
The Paddler's Express Participant Shuttle schedule will be sent out to all Team Captains within the week prior to the event as well as be posted here on the event website under the Parking & Transportation tab. Shuttle times will correspond with the Race Grid, allowing you to arrive at the Festival site at least one hour prior to your first race. At the end of the day participants are free to catch any shuttle available for transportation back to the Town of Banff or the overflow parking lot.

Please watch for our resource recovery stations or ask our event staff about handling your disposables properly to help Dragon Boat Festival move Toward Zero Waste

Banff Lake Louise Tourism is committed to the protection and wellbeing of our environment and we ask that all participants and spectators do the same.

Banff Lake Louise Tourism and the Town of Banff, in co-operation with the Bow Valley Waste Management Commission would like to promote the “Towards Zero Waste” initiative, which works to change people’s awareness, values, attitudes, and behaviours on how we manage waste. The goal is to reduce, reuse, recycle, therefore dramatically reducing the amount of waste that must be land-filled, and increase our resource sustainability.

For more information about how you can contribute?