Paddle to the beat of your drummer

Rich Palzewic

Staff

September 5, 2023

OSHKOSH – Dragon boat racing has a rich history that dates back more than 2,000 years.

The high-paced, team-centric sport has deep roots in Oshkosh as well, and for the first time in eight years the distinct dragon-shaped boats are returning to the city.

The Northeast Wisconsin (N.E.W.) Dragon Boat Festival is set for Sept. 16 at the Leach Amphitheater.

Angie Lee, event director, said the event celebrates the diverse communities of Northeast Wisconsin, promotes community-wide social connectedness and belonging and boosts local economies through a conscious curation of traditional dragon boat races.

“We are excited the dragon boat races are returning to Oshkosh,” Lee said. “It’s a lot of work organizing and putting on such a thing, but it’s well worth it.”

Lee said the festival is being brought together through a partnership between the Northeast Wisconsin Chinese Association (NEWCA), the City of Oshkosh and ColorBold Business Association as a fiscal sponsor.

Previously, the dragon boat festival was planned by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and the Oshkosh YMCA, she said.

“They had a successful 10-year run, but in 2015, it was discontinued,” Lee said. “We’re bringing it back with a multicultural festival component to it. It’s part of the committee’s charter to organize a multicultural event. We started brainstorming ideas of what type of festival we could bring to Oshkosh.”

Lee said initially, the committee was thinking of a “Harvest Moon Festival.”

“That was near and dear to my heart being a Korean-American,” she said. “The Harvest Moon celebration is significant to me. One of my friends who is a part of NEWCA approached me and said, ‘We want to bring back the dragon boat festival.’ We need a nonprofit to help us coordinate things, so it works out perfectly.”

The races, boats
Racing begins at 9 a.m., with an opening ceremony happening at 10 a.m.

The day concludes with a 5 p.m. closing ceremony.

Lee said a dragon boat is typically 40 feet long and accommodates 22 people – 20 paddlers, a drummer and a steer person.

“There are different types of dragon boats,” she said. “Our boats have a dragon head and tail. We are contracting them out to a company called ‘PanAm’ in Florida.”

Dragon boats, which can weigh up to 1,500 pounds, originated in the Pearl River Delta region in Southern China.

A dragon boat can accommodate 20 paddlers, a drummer and a steer person. This year’s event will take place on the Fox River at the Leach Amphitheater in Oshkosh. Submitted Photo

Dragon boat racing in China dates back 2,000 years, with the boats typically made of wood, carbon fiber, fiberglass or some other lightweight material.

Lee said it takes teamwork to paddle a Dragon boat successfully.

The steer person in back helps navigate the team through the water (keeping it straight or making a turn), while the drummer in front sets the cadence with rhythmic drumming.

As the drummer beats a particular speed, the paddlers aim to keep that cadence.

If the drummer speeds up the beat, the racers increase their stroke rate as well.

“There is a lot that goes into it,” Lee said. “Teams can have strong paddlers, but if they aren’t in unison, they might not go as fast as another team that is in sync.”

Paddlers face forward – unlike a row boat – and sprint several hundred meters, with 500 meters being the most common.

Lee said spectators will have the opportunity to witness the racing from designated viewing areas along the waterfront.

The format
According to the festival’s website, newdragonboat.com, the five racing classes include:
Cancer SurvivorsClub MixedCommunity NonprofitCorporate Festival MixedYouth 
All teams – with a maximum 48 teams – are guaranteed two races with the possibility of three depending on the performance in the opening round. 

Lower-ranked teams will exit the qualifying round directly to a final race. 

Higher-ranked teams will progress from the qualifying round to a semifinal and then a championship final race. 

There will be four lanes on a 300-meter course. 

Registration also includes:
One practice scheduled in the week leading up to the eventOne event race T-shirt All of the necessary equipment during the race, including a boat, life vests, paddles, drum and a steersperson/coach
There’s more to it
Lee said the day won’t be just about dragon boat racing – “there’s much more to it.”

“In addition to the races, the festival will also feature a variety of cultural activities and entertainment for visitors of all ages,” she said. “We’ll have a Global Market with global foods and various cultural performances. We have a Hawaiian dancing group, an Asian martial arts group putting on demonstrations and someone leading the group in Tai Chi. That’s not a performance but more trying to get spectators, racers and visitors engaged.”

Lee said the event is not just about competition and celebration – it also aims to make a positive and economic impact on the local community.

The planning team – also known as “The Dragon Ladies” – helps organize the N.E.W. Dragon Boat Festival in Oshkosh. Shown from left are Lindsay Yang Roake, AnnMarie Johnson, Angie Lee, Greta Lax, Fanni Xie and Beth Roberts. Photo Courtesy of Shaena Ragna Photography

“The N.E.W. Dragon Boat Festival Committee aims to raise funds for cultural and educational programming provided through NEWCA and the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation’s Oshkosh Area School District Education Fund,” she said. “This community-driven initiative demonstrates the festival’s commitment to giving back and fostering diversity in our region.”

Lee said opportunities are still open to join and support the event through sponsorship, team registration, vendor and community organization booths and volunteering.

Amy Albright, executive director of Discover Oshkosh, said it’s always exciting to have a new event – or in this case, a returning event – come to Oshkosh.

“We are thrilled to see the return of Dragon Boat racing in Oshkosh,” she said. “The event will bring people to Oshkosh for an event that is inclusive and celebrates the diverse communities of Northeast Wisconsin.”

Not only that, Albright said the event will have an economic impact on the community as well.

“This happens with people staying in hotels, eating in restaurants and shopping in our stores,” she said. “We look forward to welcoming this event to our community and to showing off everything we have to offer in Oshkosh.”

For more information, visit newdragonboat.com or find the event on Facebook at Northeast Wisconsin Dragon Boat Festival.