Pickering Dragon Boat Community Festival
Sunday, June 4th, 2023
The Pickering Community Festival is designed to provide an introduction to competition for new and local dragon boat crews with minimal race experience and will be held on Frenchman’s Bay in Pickering on Sunday, June 4th, 2023.
This regatta will guarantee each crew 4 races including a heat and championship race in multiple distances. The top three teams will receive medals.
This regatta has gained notoriety as a great regatta for athletes new to the sport of dragon boat racing – most athletes who’ve begun their paddling careers at this regatta have gone on to exciting and rewarding dragon boat racing futures. Many have even competed internationally for their club or country.
This regatta is perfect if you are considering organizing a corporate, community or friend- based activity for a large group. Returning for 2023 is the Deca Dragons Division: race with only 10 paddlers!
Event Details
Pickering Dragon Boat Community Festival
Location
View site map and accomdations on the Location page.
Festival Parking
The Pickering Town Centre will be the primary parking lot of the Pickering Dragon Boat Challenge. FREE Shuttle Buses will transport athletes from the Pickering Town Centre Parking Lot to the race site.
- There is no parking on-site (Bruce Handscombe Park)
- Police and City By-Law officers will be patrolling the area and will enforce all city parking by-laws
- Vehicles in violation of parking by-laws risk being tagged and/or towed
Shuttle Bus Service
- The Pickering Dragon Boat Challenge provides FREE shuttle bus service from the Pickering Town Centre Parking Lot to the race course
- All vehicles are instructed to park at the Pickering Town Centre SOUTH EAST Parking Lot
- Pickering Town Centre SOUTH EAST Parking Lot can be found on the south side of the mall, near The Bay. Please use the address 1355 Kingston Road for navigation purposes and drive around to the back (south) of the mall. Please see the map attached.
- FREE Shuttle Bus Service will commence at 6:00am on Saturday and 7:00am on Sunday. (Buses will run every 15 minutes during peak arrival/departure times) Festival volunteers will be on-site to organize lineups according to the race schedule.
Pricing
| Category | # of Races | Before January 1 | Before April 1 | After April 1 |
| Community Mixed | 3 | $1050.00 | $1150.00 | $1250.00 |
| *Community Mixed Package | 3 | $1600.00 | $1650.00 | $1700.00 |
| **Deca Dragons Package | 3 | $1150.00 | $1200.00 | $1250.00 |
*Community Mixed Package includes 4 practices with a coach and your regatta fee.
** The Deca Dragons Package is for recreational teams consisting of only 10 paddlers, with no gender make-up. This package includes 4 practices with a coach, team shirts and your regatta fee.
To book practices, send an email to katy.dunlop@alkame.ca
Prices are listed in CAD and do not include tax.
Awards
Community Mixed Division – Community Cup
Medals will be awarded to first, second and third place teams. Plaques will be awarded for
4-6.
Introductory Open Division
Medals will be awarded to first, second and third place teams. Plaques will be awarded for
4-6.
Schedule
Race Format updated June 1, 2023
The official race format is an overview of the day's race progression, race statistics, and awards ceremonies.
Race Progression updated June 1, 2023
A detailed view of the day's races with crew names and lane numbers.
Race Format:
- Community teams will race 2 x 200m and 1 x 500m
- Deca Dragons teams will race 3 x 200m
Shuttle buses begin running to the park at 7:30am and the registration tent will open at 8:00am for team check-in. A team captain’s meeting will take place at 8:30am, followed by marshalling for the first race at approximately 8:45am.
Vendors
Are you interested in being a vendor at our event? We would love to have you!
Vendor fees are $200 (+HST) and all vendors receive:
- A 10x10 space in a prime area of the park
- Website & logo promotion on our Festival page
- Promotion through our team information bulletins
- The option to add a business card, promotional item or coupon to our team swag bags
Vendors who select to be Race Sponsors (for an additional $50) will also receive logo/website promotion on our race schedule (printed and online) and company promotion/announcements over the loud speaker throughout the festival.
*Please note: In order to best serve our participants, we reserve the right to turn down vendor applications if we feel as though the market is already covered in this area.
Questions?
Questions about this event? Need some help with registering? Send an email to katy.dunlop@alkame.ca
Pricing
| Category | # of Races | Before January 1 | Before April 1 | After April 1 |
| Community Mixed | 3 | $1050.00 | $1150.00 | $1250.00 |
| *Community Mixed Package | 3 | $1600.00 | $1650.00 | $1700.00 |
| **Deca Dragons Package | 3 | $1150.00 | $1200.00 | $1250.00 |
*Community Mixed Package includes 4 practices with a coach and your regatta fee.
** The Deca Dragons Package is for recreational teams consisting of only 10 paddlers, with no gender make-up. This package includes 4 practices with a coach, team shirts and your regatta fee.
To book practices, send an email to katy.dunlop@alkame.ca
Prices are listed in CAD and do not include tax.
Location
View site map and accomdations on the Location page.
Festival Parking
The Pickering Town Centre will be the primary parking lot of the Pickering Dragon Boat Challenge. FREE Shuttle Buses will transport athletes from the Pickering Town Centre Parking Lot to the race site.
- There is no parking on-site (Bruce Handscombe Park)
- Police and City By-Law officers will be patrolling the area and will enforce all city parking by-laws
- Vehicles in violation of parking by-laws risk being tagged and/or towed
Shuttle Bus Service
- The Pickering Dragon Boat Challenge provides FREE shuttle bus service from the Pickering Town Centre Parking Lot to the race course
- All vehicles are instructed to park at the Pickering Town Centre SOUTH EAST Parking Lot
- Pickering Town Centre SOUTH EAST Parking Lot can be found on the south side of the mall, near The Bay. Please use the address 1355 Kingston Road for navigation purposes and drive around to the back (south) of the mall. Please see the map attached.
- FREE Shuttle Bus Service will commence at 6:00am on Saturday and 7:00am on Sunday. (Buses will run every 15 minutes during peak arrival/departure times) Festival volunteers will be on-site to organize lineups according to the race schedule.
Schedule
Race Format updated June 1, 2023
The official race format is an overview of the day's race progression, race statistics, and awards ceremonies.
Race Progression updated June 1, 2023
A detailed view of the day's races with crew names and lane numbers.
Race Format:
- Community teams will race 2 x 200m and 1 x 500m
- Deca Dragons teams will race 3 x 200m
Shuttle buses begin running to the park at 7:30am and the registration tent will open at 8:00am for team check-in. A team captain’s meeting will take place at 8:30am, followed by marshalling for the first race at approximately 8:45am.
Awards
Community Mixed Division – Community Cup
Medals will be awarded to first, second and third place teams. Plaques will be awarded for
4-6.
Introductory Open Division
Medals will be awarded to first, second and third place teams. Plaques will be awarded for
4-6.
Vendors
Are you interested in being a vendor at our event? We would love to have you!
Vendor fees are $200 (+HST) and all vendors receive:
- A 10x10 space in a prime area of the park
- Website & logo promotion on our Festival page
- Promotion through our team information bulletins
- The option to add a business card, promotional item or coupon to our team swag bags
Vendors who select to be Race Sponsors (for an additional $50) will also receive logo/website promotion on our race schedule (printed and online) and company promotion/announcements over the loud speaker throughout the festival.
*Please note: In order to best serve our participants, we reserve the right to turn down vendor applications if we feel as though the market is already covered in this area.
Questions?
Questions about this event? Need some help with registering? Send an email to katy.dunlop@alkame.ca