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FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com AUGUST 8, 2013 • DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL • THE COURIER SUN 31 Hong The 23rd Annual Kong Dragon Boat Festival In celebration of the «Year of the Snake,» the organizing committee of the  23rd Annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York (HKDBF-NY) announced that this year’s competition is to be held on Saturday, August 10 and Sunday, August 11 in Meadow Lake, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park -- rain or shine. Admission is free.   It  will feature cash and prizes for competitors in this year’s US Dragon Boat Open Championship. HKDBF-NY is an international, multicultural celebration and sporting event, the largest multicultural festival  in New York and the largest festival of its kind in the U.S. HKDBF NY keeps up the age-old tradition of Dragon Boat Racing in colorful, custom made teak boats, which are virtual works of art gliding on water. Custom made by a small coterie of craftsmen in Hong Kong, weighing one ton each, colorfully painted with a dragon head at the front and dragon tail at the rear, the boats are piloted by up to 20 crewmen, including 18 paddlers, a drummer and steers person. For  22 successful years HKDBF-NY has attracted a diverse, multi-cultural audience of more than 50,000 attendees throughout North America. With more than 180 well-trained teams, involving more than 2,500 participants competing from across the U.S. and Canada, this year›s festival is expected to be notable in its scale and fierce competition. With  cash and  prizes at stake for the US Dragon Boat Open Championships, the festival takes place over two days on the site of the 1964 World’s Fair, featuring events for the entire family. The opening day parade at noon on Saturday, Aug. 10 and will be followed by the New York City Championship Races. The U.S. Dragon Boat Open Championship will be held on Sunday, August 11 with the teams vigorously competing for their share of the cash and prizes. Racing starts at 9 a.m. and events last throughout the day until approximately 5 p.m. each day, rain or shine. Other festival events consist of the media invitational, corporate youth, charity race, women›s invitational, and sponsors challenge, a photo contest as well as presentations on the stage of traditional Chinese arts, martial arts demonstrations, the traditional Dragon Dance, musical and other diverse performances and demonstrations of folk arts and crafts. An ethnic food court and booths staffed by sponsors of the event, many of whom will be giving away promotional items, and many community-based organizations participating help make for a unique, action packed, multi-cultural, New York weekend. The tradition of Dragon Boat Racing is an annual Chinese rite commemorating the idealistic poet and reformer Qu Yuan who drowned himself in the third century B.C. to protest against his emperor›s policies. The locals raced in their boats in an attempt to rescue the poet. To prevent fish and water dragons from eating his body, the locals beat their drums and splashed their paddles. This was the beginning of Dragon Boat Racing. Admission to the HKDBF-NY is free, events take place rain or shine. A COLORFUL HONG KONG TRADITION RETURNS TO NEW YORK Congratulatory Message for The 23rd Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York It is my great pleasure to extend my hearty congratulations to the organizers and sponsors of the 23rd Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, New York (HKETONY). Over the past three decades, the HKETONY has been playing a pivotal role in fostering closer ties in economic, business and cultural fields between Hong Kong and the 31 Eastern States in the U.S., including New York. The HKETONY took great pride in introducing the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival to the Big Apple 23 years ago. With the dedicated support and selfless efforts of the organizing committee led by Henry Wan, the Chairman, the Board members, and the numerous volunteers, the Festival has grown to be an annual community event that is one of the largest of its kind in the U.S. There will be a number of stage performances and booth games for all to enjoy throughout the weekend of August 10 and 11. More than 180 teams will be competing in Meadow Lake for the top prizes. The athletes have been practicing hard every weekend in recent months. They will not only compete for the trophies, but also enjoy the comradeship and cheering of the spectators at this wonderful cultural event. I wish the event great success and fun for all who join! Donald Tong Hong Kong Commissioner, USA


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