Colorado Dragon Boat Festival Kicks Off This Weekend | Arts & Culture

The 11th annual Colorado Dragon Boat Festival is just around the corner, on Saturday and Sunday July 30-31. This year’s event will celebrate the country of Japan and the theme of “Gambare,” which means “to persevere.” The color red will be prominent throughout the festival as well as origami cranes, which symbolize, hope. There will also be a fundraiser to help contribute to the relief effort in Japan.

Event Highlights:

Back by Popular Demand: Parking at INVESCO Field at Mile High:

This year, we’re bringing back parking at INVESCO Field, with buses to transport guests to and from the festival. We’re charging a small fee — $5 per car — to partially offset the cost of renting the parking at INVESCO, and the bus rides will be free of charge and run all weekend. CDBF parking will be in LOT G on the west side of INVESCO Field. More parking information: http://www.cdbf.org/back-by-popular-demand-parking-at-invesco-field-with-free-buses-to-the-festival/

Dragon Boat Races:

These exciting competitions celebrate the ancient Chinese tradition and athletic test of endurance and teamwork. Teams from across the country will compete in either Taiwan-style (flag-catching) Divisions or the international standard Hong Kong Style Divisions. Races begin at 8:00 am each day. In addition to the event’s first international team from Toronto, the races will feature a team from Portland consisting of all seniors over the age of 50. Perhaps the most senior competitor out there, the Golden Dragons’ paddler is ninety four-year-old Al Bailey. He has paddled with the Golden Dragons since 2000.

A full list of competing teams is available at: http://www.cdbf.org/racing/2011-race-teams/

Performances:

A variety of inspiring cultural performances will take place throughout the weekend.

The Main Performing Arts Stage will feature dancers and music from a variety of cultures and backgrounds. Ranging from traditional Chinese dance to alternative rock, Japanese Taiko drummers and even hip hop and martial arts, these performances reflect a breadth of talent locally in Colorado. On a second stage, Gateway to Asia will feature more intimate performances and showcases interactive educational exhibits. Full Main Performing Arts Stage lineup is available online at:
http://www.cdbf.org/performance/main-performing-arts-stage/2011-main-stage-performers/

Dragonland:

Since the very first Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, we’ve included an area for children so they can be introduced to Asian cultures with fun activities, guided by volunteers from such organizations as Girl Scouts and the Denver Art Museum. For 2011, CDBF is proud to announce a new Dragonland stage that will feature children’s performers and storytellers to enhance the “edutainment” available for young people at the festival. More Dragonland details: http://www.cdbf.org/performance/dragonland/

Gateway to Asia:

The Gateway to Asia stages will highlight Japanese performers for our festival theme. “Gambare Japan” (“Persevere, Japan”), and we’ll have a tent all about Japanese culture and traditions, as well as a separate exhibit about the Japanese American Experience, including information about Amache, the World War II Japanese American internment camp in southeast Colorado. This exhibit will also feature special guests the Amache Preservation Society, a group of students from Granada Undivided High School who work on preserving and restoring the Amache site. Full Gateway performers and schedule online: http://www.cdbf.org/performance/gateway-to-asia/2011-gateway-to-asia-performers/

Taste of Asia:

A variety of Asian cuisines will be available in the Taste of Asia Food Pavilion, representing Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Hawai'ian, Laotian, Indian, and more. For those who may not be adventurous diners, there’ll be typical festival fare such as hot dogs, funnel cakes and pizza. But who wants to miss fresh squeezed sugar cane juice from Tropical Paradise (Laotian), or try the new Bento Box from Kokoro (Japanese)? Or for dessert, try one of 21 flavors of Mochi Ice Cream from a first-time vendor, Smooch? Complete list of Taste of Asia vendors: http://www.cdbf.org/marketplace/2011-taste-of-asia-vendors/

NEW: Asian Food Truck Stop:

Food Trucks are hot, and we’ve invited Denver’s first Asian food truck to the festival. A cultural celebration for the tastebuds. Manna from Heaven will serve up their delicious version of traditional Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwiches at the event’s first food truck. Manna from Heaven will be parked in our first-ever Taste of Asia Food Truck Stop. The other trucks are Route 40, serving great Argentinian food, and Colorado Buffalo Grill.

NEW: Japanese Obon Dance:

To pay tribute to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, we’ll have a Japanese Obon or Bon Odori Dance, in which the public can dance along following the movements of the Denver Buddhist Temple Minyo Kai dance troupe. It’s fun – like Japanese line dancing, but in a circle! More on the Obon Dance: http://www.cdbf.org/new-get-your-obon-dance-on-at-cdbf-2011/

NEW: Wellness Village:

This new area will offer free screenings and health education at the festival. Our focus is keeping the community healthy by providing different alternatives for health. List of participating health organizations:  http://www.cdbf.org/marketplace/new-wellness-village/

NEW: imaginAsian Mural Collaboration:

Our first-ever interactive art project is a collaboration of local artists and the public to create four unique projects with the theme “Ode to Japan.” The organizations include Arts Street, the Ladies Fancywork Society, Rawh Expressions and Squidworks comic artists. Festival visitors have been submitting ideas for the Arts Street mural in advance, and visitors will be able to contribute to most of the art during the festival. http://www.cdbf.org/performance/imaginasian-mural-collaboration/

ABOUT THE COLORADO DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL

Established in 2001, the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival has drawn over 100,000 visitors annually to

celebrate Colorado's diverse Asian Pacific American (APA) communities. The Colorado Dragon Boat

Festival, a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, has become the region's fastest growing, family-friendly

summer festival. CDBF offers festival-goers the opportunity to explore APA culture through performances, educational programs, arts and crafts, shopping, dining and the exciting athletic competition of dragonboat racing.

The 11th Annual Colorado Dragon Boat Festival will be held at Denver's Sloan's Lake Park on July 30-31. 2011.