With the dragon boats set to shove off this weekend at the 20th annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival of New York (HKDBF-NY), event organizers want visitors to have the full itinerary of planned events.
The races kick off at 9 a.m. and run through until approximately 5 p.m. on both Saturday, August 7 and Sunday, August 8 on Meadow Lake at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
Competitors come from across the U.S. and Canada, as well as Italy, to race for a share of $20,000 in cash and prizes.
Besides the championship race, other events include the Media Invitational, the NPO and Health Care Invitational, the Corporate Youth Race, the Charity Race with $7,500 at stake, the Women’s Invitational, the Sponsors Challenge, the Hong Kong Family Invitational and the Sing Tao photo contest.
Special events and performances will dot the festival throughout the weekend, with activities and entertainment for all ages. An ethic food court will also be open to allow visitors to experience the culture from all angles.
The program on the Verizon Stage will showcase multicultural artists and traditional music and dance from around the globe. In addition, demonstrations of folk arts and crafts staffed by sponsors and community-based organizations will supply a hands-on entertainment experience.
DeMarco Morgan, news anchor with WNBC 4 New York, will emcee the HKDBF 2010 opening ceremony and parade on Saturday.
Parking is extremely limited, so arrive early or take mass transit to the event.
Admission is free and the event is rain or shine. And keep your eyes fixed on the Manhattan skyline, as the Empire State Building will light up in the colors of HKDBF-NY on the evening of August 7.
