Banff National Park Dragon Boat Festival

A Terrific Weekend of Racing!

Two days of gorgeous weather highlighted a weekend full of what dragon boat racing in Banff National Park is all about. Strong competition, wonderful cameraderie, lots of fun (racing backwards anyone?), spectacular scenery, and great friends old and new highlighted the inaugural event. We'll have a photo gallery of the weekend's activities available later in the week.

Full race results (excel 38.50 kB) are available for download, but we'd like to specifically honour the division winners:

Thanks to all our participants and spectators for joining us for the first annual Banff National Park Dragon Boat Festival! We look forward to seeing you next year.

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It’s not something you see in Banff National Park everyday. Twenty-two souls, backs and arms straining to paddle a mythical Chinese dragon boat – where a split-second difference in timing and cadence can throw off perfectly intense synchronicity. The August 23 to 24 history-making dragon boat festival on Lake Minnewanka will feature teams of ordinary Canadians paddling traditional dragon boats in a fire-breathing, nose-to-nose sprint across a mysterious lake with a few legends of its own.

Ringed by the Canadian Rockies, the sights from the shoreline will be spectacular – as paddles stroke and slash and dragon heads surge forward over 200, 500, and 1000-metre courses. Dragon boat racing is Canada’s fastest growing water sport, with well over 100,000 enthusiasts. Novices sign up for social or professional team building reasons, get hooked, and sometimes end up starting
a friendly crew of their own.

Hands down, Canada has ranked as the number one nation in this pursuit for years – defeating larger European nations and even China, where dragon boats are paddled by an estimated 500 million people. Dragon boat racing originated 2,500 years ago as either a celebration of the Chinese summer harvest, to honour a political martyr’s legacy, or to pay respect to the water dragon deity, depending on your beliefs. The festival kicks off at Lake Minnewanka Friday evening when the 40-foot aluminum long-boats are blessed by local Chinese monks in a traditional “Dotting of the Eye” ceremony on the dragon head. Also as part of the cultural celebrations, traditional Chinese dances will be performed in Banff over the weekend.

Originally known as “Devil’s Lake,” Lake Minnewanka was given its more visitor-friendly name in 1888 - a Stoney Indian word which means “Lake of the Water Spirit.” It’s the largest lake in Banff National Park and the only one where motorized tour boats take visitors deep into the backcountry along with an on-board interpreter to learn about the history, native folk lore and geology.

Just a few minutes drive from Banff, the road to the lake gives rare access to the natural beauty of the protected national park wilderness with opportunities to glimpse the elk, bears and bighorn sheep that inhabit this verdant valley. Along the way, history buffs may want to check out Bankhead, a once-thriving mining community from 1903 to 1922 that produced coal to power Canadian Pacific Railway steam engines. A 1.1 km interpretive trail with signs winds its way around the remains of the former mining site, old machinery and crumbling foundations of the town. Anglers may want to try their luck in the turquoise blue waters of Two Jack Lake and families can bring a picnic and towels up to Johnson’s Lake for lunch.

In Banff National Park there are adventures for everyone, regardless of age or fitness level. Take a gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain to gain a bird’s eye view of the Canadian Rockies, and then stop in for a soak at the Banff Upper Hot Springs. Drive 45-minutes to Lake Louise and rent canoes at Moraine Lake or Lake Louise, then return along the Bow Valley Parkway and visit Johnson’s Canyon to watch rushing white water cascade through sheer rock walls.

Take a picnic along for a day of adventure and learning more about Banff National Park while you soak up the views. Try canoeing or explore the self-guided interpretive trails at the Cave and Basin National Historical Site – but just remember to give wildlife the space and respect they deserve.

The choices are endless. You can camp in the great outdoors, stay in a cozy bed and breakfast, or splurge on a five-star resort. Just don’t miss out on the vast range of local restaurants serving everything from AAA Alberta beef, fresh Japanese sushi, and Swiss fondue to Thai curry or wild game meat fondue. Go for a therapeutic massage at a day spa, look for unique hand-made gifts from local artisans, or wander through local museums and check out the quirky explorers, cowboys, and First Nations people who originally settled the area.