Visitors to Newcastle’s Quayside on Saturday 28th September, will be treated to a day of lively and colourful competitive boat racing on the Tyne when NE1’s Newcastle Dragon Boat race returns to the city. Running since 2019, this year’s Dragon Boat Race is set to be the biggest event yet, providing competitors with an exhilarating 250-metre-long race route along the city stretch of the Tyne, between the Tyne and Millennium Bridges, and creating a vibrant event for spectators.
NE1 will also be hosting a corporate Dragon Boat day on Friday, in all, 43 teams will compete over the two days, in support of the Newcastle Hospitals Charity. Representatives from the charity will collect donations during the event.
Proceedings will get off to an energetic and colourful start at 9.30 am with a traditional Chinese lion dance performed by the Newcastle Kung Fu Club with all the customary bells and drums.
As well as enjoying racing on the river, spectators will enjoy a host of fun activities on dry land with games and carnival-style fun for all ages. People can test their skills in steady hand challenges, hammer-hitting fun, face painting, and Chinese crafts.
The Quayside will be buzzing with the sights and sounds of the hotly contested Dragon Boat Race throughout the day. Teams will each race in 3 heats to achieve their fastest times, with up to six boats per heat. The six fastest boats will earn their position in the grand final held at the end of the day. A presentation and closing ceremony will be held at 4 pm with the winners crowned NE1 Dragon Boat Race Champions 2024. Bronze, silver and gold medals will be presented to the teams at the closing ceremony.
25 teams which will include over 400 contestants will take to the water, and each team consists of 16 paddlers who take their seats in pairs in the dragon boats, which are long, narrow canoes. A drummer or caller sits at the front, by the dragon’s head, facing the paddlers and setting the rhythm of the race.
Rachel Barlow, Head of Marketing and Events at NE1 said: “We are lining up to host the biggest-ever Newcastle Dragon Boat Race this September. We expect to shatter records and have fun on the Quayside and the water. The event will provide hours of fun with activities on dry land for spectators and prize-winning games and fun, all in aid of Newcastle Hospitals charity.
“It’s a fabulous day out for the whole family, and we encourage people to come down to cheer on the racers, enjoy the action, try their hand at the games and activities, and support a worthy local cause.”
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