Dragons to take over Cumberland River

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Instead, dozens of teams are enticed to pile into long, skinny boats adorned with elaborate dragon heads and tails for a day of team-building during the second annual Dragon Boat Race and River Festival.

The festival, which is free and open to the public, begins at 8:30 AM at Riverfront Park. Crowds are invited to line the bank and cheer for their favorite boats as they race 250 meters on the Cumberland River between the Shelby Street Bridge and the Woodland Street Bridge.

Proceeds from the event will benefit Cumberland River Compact and the Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association Inc.

“This is such a unique event that it is really hard to paint a picture that someone will really get,” said Brooke Seigle, program and event coordinator at Cumberland River Compact. “For someone who’s never been, it’s a spectacle. The boats are very fast and it is all about teamwork. There are all these people in there paddling together. It’s not about who’s the biggest and strongest.”

The day starts with a traditional eye-dotting ceremony intended to symbolize cleansing of the spirits of the boats and the water.

Presented by the Chinese Arts Alliance, the ritual features dancers in large, intricate, brightly colored dragon costumes.

Racing begins at 9 AM, but Brandon Hammer, captain of last year’s winning team, joked that he already knew who was going to win.

“Without a doubt, my team is going to win,” he said. “We lost one of our weaker people and recruited people who made us stronger. My team is almost completely made up of salespeople and sportspeople. We’re extremely competitive.”

Last year, only 2500 people were there to witness Hammer’s team, Huffin’ & Puffin’, claim the title. This year, he predicts a larger crowd due to cooler weather.

Venders will be on hand with food, and guests are encouraged to bring their own water containers since there will be a water tower for public use.