Celebrate the height of summer in the Inner Harbour!

Festival Visitor Info

Plan your weekend at the Canada Dry Victoria Dragon Boat Festival presented by Fairway Market. Enjoy dragon boat races on the Inner Harbour, the sizzle of the food trucks, and the beats from the Main Stage for free!

Canada Dry Victoria Dragon Boat Festival presented by Fairway Market

June 20, 2026

FREE ADMISSION!

Location: Inner Harbour, Ship’s Point. Additional offsite programming Friday June 19 around Victoria.

ARRIVAL DIRECTIONS

2026 SITE MAP

Victoria, get ready to race! Celebrate the first week of summer at the Canada Dry Victoria Dragon Boat Festival presented by Fairway Market. Enjoy iconic dragon boat races in the Inner Harbour, exciting music and cultural shows on the Main and Patio Stages, marketplace vendors and bars, Chinatown booths, and more in the heart of Victoria.

For 2026, this year’s Festival is being adjusted with all races and the classic Festival experience on Saturday June 20 in the Inner Harbour: be part of the first weekend of summer in Victoria! This temporary change is due to a conflicting major event in the Inner Harbour that had been already approved for our typical August dates. We expect to return to our normal August dates in 2027, as the conflicting major event is a one-time only event.

Race schedules will be published on the Race Info page on Tuesday June 16. Since 1994, the Festival has brought communities together through dragon boat activities. Come down this August and explore what we have to offer- all for free! The Festival is the Island’s original dragon boat festival, started during the 1994 Commonwealth Games, and is organized annually by the non-profit Victoria Dragon Boat Festival Society.

Festival Activities

Main Stage

Celebrate the spirit of local, with live music on the Main Stage! Featuring an entirely local lineup, soak in the sun and celebrate the height of summer.

With the support of the Government of Canada, the Government of British Columbia, and the City of Victoria.

Race Program

The Inner Harbour comes alive as over 30+ dragon boat teams hit the water! Teams will sprint towards the finish line at Ship’s Point, in an intense display of strength and teamwork. Catch the races from the Ship’s Point Pier!

The Festival uses an international standard fleet of standard BuK boats, on an international standard 250M race distance.

VI Brewing Beverage Patios

Soak in the sun on our outdoor patios with great local brews from VI Brewing! Check out the VI Brewing Main Stage Bar and enjoy local live music as you celebrate another great summer day in Victoria.

19+ to purchase alcoholic beverages. Please drink responsibly.

Cultural and Family Activities

This family-friendly area has something fun for everyone! Grab a bite to eat from a selection of delicious local food vendors by the Harbour Air Stage, then join us in the Cultural/Family Activities Zone on the Ship’s Point Pier for free cultural crafts and entertainment. Plus, watch the races from front-row seats at our seating area, and grab a drink from the bar to enjoy on Victoria’s best waterfront outdoor licensed patio!

Lights of Courage

Help support the BC Cancer Foundation as they work towards a future free of cancer. Purchase a paper lantern for $3 and write a message of hope, love, or remembrance on its tag.

Hang your lantern at the Canada Dry Victoria Dragon Boat Festival and be a part of a truly moving show of support and community. Partial proceeds from each lantern goes towards supporting the BC Cancer Foundation. Visit donate.bccancerfoundation.com/vdbf to contribute directly.

Saturday June 20 Schedule

Partner Booths

Canada Dry: Hydrate at the Festival! Visit the Canada Dry tent to enjoy FREE Canada Dry all day (while supplies last). Or, visit the Canada Dry tent along the Ship’s Point Pier to play games with a friend!

Race Program

Race grid available soon at victoriadragonboatfestival.com/paddlers!
Heats, Semi Finals, and Finals
Medal Presentations

Cultural Program

Main Stage: Active from 11:00-6:00 PM
Cultural Demonstrations and Activities on the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority Ship’s Pier: Active from 10:00 AM-6:00 PM

Marketplace and Vendors

Food Trucks and Bar: Active from 11:00 AM-6:00 PM
Vendors: Active from 10:00 AM-6:00 PM

Main Stage Schedule

Sunday June 21 Schedule

Searching for Dragons in Chinatown Walking Tours

Date: Sunday June 21, 2026
Tour times: 11:00 am and 1:30 pm
Starting place: Bright Pearl Sculpture (1689 Government Street on Fisgard Street, by the Gate of Harmonious Interest)
Reservations: Register online at register.dragonboatbc.ca; $2 registration fee

While the teams take a well-deserved break on Sunday June 21, there will still be lots to see and do in Victoria, the home of Canada’s oldest Chinatown.

On Sunday June 21, Chinatown Walks will offer a special tour in collaboration with the Festival and the Victoria Chinatown Museum Society. “Searching for Dragons in Chinatown” is a new tour explaining the story of dragon boat and the important role that dragons play in Chinese culture. The tour is created and personally conducted by John Adams, well-known local historian and author of award-winning book “Chinese Victoria: A Long and Difficult Journey.”

The walks will explore many places in Chinatown where dragons appear, explain dragon lore, and uncover Chinatown’s fascinating history with roots dating back to the 1858 gold rush. Some dragons are small and difficult to find; some are large and dominate the streets; some might even be invisible. Spots explored include: the Red Dragon sculpture, Fan Tan Alley, the Chinatown Museum, Dragon Alley and Tam Kung Temple- Canada’s oldest Chinese temple. Discover more of Victoria’s historic Chinatown, like its specialty shops, restaurants, and places of interest like the Victoria Chinatown Museum.

The tour will start at the Bright Pearl sculpture, across the street from the Gate of Harmonious Interest. Prior registration required at register.dragonboatbc.ca.