Ottawa Ice Dragon Boat Festival

The Ottawa Ice Dragon Boat Festival is an annual sports, music and culture festival that takes place in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
History
Beginning in 2017, it was the first event of its kind in North Americaand the largest in the world. The first year hosted 60 teams with 720 participants from around the globe and then 100 teams in 2018. The 2019's event drew 125 teams and over 25,000 spectators. Events take place at Dow’s Lake and inside the Dow’s Lake Pavilion, Located along the Rideau Canal, world’s largest skating rink and UNESCO world heritage site. In 2019 the festival hosted the first International Ice Dragon Boat World Club Crew Championships. Bringing in participants from around the world including eight national teams from China, Britain, Ireland, Ukraine, New Zealand, Korea, U.S.A. and Canada.
Ice Dragon Boats
Ice dragon boat racing is based on the summer sport of dragon boat racing, a Chinese cultural tradition that dates back 2,400 years. The boats have been adapted to navigate on the ice with the addition of skate like blades on the bottom of the boats as well as a steering and braking mechanism. In place of oars, athletes use a stick equipped with spikes to propel their boat.
Races
The festival divides the races into two divisions, mixed and women. Each requiring 8-10 paddlers, 1 steersperson, 1 drummer and up to 4 spares. Each team competes in two 200m races with the top teams in each division advancing to the championship finals.
Along with the Ottawa Ice Dragon Boat Festival championships, there are also a number of other events.
*Breast Cancer Survivor Ceremonial Race - Teams consisting of breast cancer survivors compete in an event to celebrate and honour survivors and their families.
*ODBF Shiver & Giver Championships - Top seven fundraising teams from each division compete for the championship
*IIDBF World Club Crew Championships - First hosted at the Ottawa Ice Dragon Boat Festival in 2019, the championships brought teams from all around the world
Festival Events
Cultural Performances
The festival provides performances from both Asian and Canadian cultural heritages and are included prominently during the Opening and Closing festivities. These have included The Success Lion Dance Troupe, which celebrates a 3000-year-old tradition that symbolizes prosperity, luck and happiness. As well as First Nations Dancing and First Nations Drumming by Aboriginal Experiences that promotes Canadian Indigenous culture. These performances are designed to honour the traditions and cultural roots of dragon boating as well as the cultural diversity that makes up the National Capital Region.
Eye Doting
An essential dragon boat tradition, the eye dotting ceremony consists of painting the eyes onto a dragon head to awaken it from sleep and symbolizes the start of the festival.
Entertainment
Free concerts - Each year the festival provides a series of free concerts with a focus on showcasing local and Canadian music. Including past performances by Bedouin Soundclash, Jeremy Fisher, Amos The Transparent, Dear Rouge. The festival also has roaming activities, food vendors, artisans and exhibitors.

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