Three dragon boats race head-to-head-to-head during the 2010 Dragon Boat Festival Races in Long Beach. Photo courtesy of Long Beach Dragon Boat Festival.

10:01am | Teams from Canada, China and Macau, along with 25 collegiate teams, will compete against teams from across the United States in this weekend’s 15th annual Dragon Boat Festival Races, part of the city of Long Beach’s summer-long Sea Festival.

The races will be held at Marine Stadium this Saturday and Sunday, July 30 and 31, and will feature brightly hued row boats decorated as dragons being raced by more than 110 18- to 20-member paddling teams. Races are scheduled throughout both days beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at about 5 p.m.

Upon each boat is a traditional Chinese drum that is beat by the rowing team’s cox. Each race spans a distance of either 200 or 500 meters. There is also a special 2,000-meter circle race that is part of the Collegiate World Championships.

The free weekend-long Dragon Boat Festival commemorates the life of ancient poet and Chinese patriot Qu Yuan (340 – 278 B.C.). Yuan lived during a period in Chinese history that was marked by warring states. The event will feature traditional Chinese art, music, acrobats, Lion dancing, martial arts performances, educational booths and ethnic fare.

The festival is sponsored by the International Culture Exchange Association, China Airlines, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, R.O.C., KNBC-TV, Pan COnstruction Inc., Panda Express, Pepsico Food Service, PrimeNet and the Seaport Marina Hotel.

For information, call 562-44-2366. Marine Stadium is located at 5255 Paoli Way.


Spectators look on as a group performs a traditional Chinese lion dance during the 2010 Long Beach Dragon Boat Festival and races. Photo courtesy of Long Beach Dragon Boat Festival.
 

A rowing team’s cox beats a traditional Chinese drum as he shouts instructions to his team during the 2010 Long Beach Dragon Boat Festival Races. Photo courtesy of Long Beach Dragon Boat Festival.