Brush Creek at the Country Club Plaza was alive with dragons on Saturday, June 25. The Kansas City - Xi’an Sister City Committee and the Society for Friendship with China celebrated the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival with parades, stage performances and Dragon Boat races. An early light rain turned into a sunny day of fun and competition for adults and children alike.

After the wandering dragon arrived at the stage, Master of Ceremonies John Phillips started the festivities. He introduced Kansas City Mayor Sylvester James and University of Missouri at Kansas City Chancellor Leo Morton, who performed the traditional ceremony, Opening of the Sleeping Dragon’s Eyes. An audience of approximately a thousand followed them down to the creek to begin the races, while stage performances began on the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Show Wagon.

We wish to thank Silk Road Dance Academy for the young adult dances, Lily "ZhangLi" Taylor Dance School for the children’s dances, the dragon, lion and drum dance, from the Kansas City Drum Roller team, Master Chun Man Sit Southern Kungfu School for the Martial Arts displays, parade drum by Daniel Roy’s team and the yoyo performance by Nate Falke.

John Phillips turned over the microphone to Fang Shen, Society for Friendship with China Board Member, for performances of Lion, Dragon and folk dances by various children and adult groups. Dances offered a representation of cultures of the fifty-five government recognized ethnic minorities living in China today. The annual Dragon Boat Festival actually memorializes the beloved poet and statesman Qu Yuan, who threw himself in the Milou River to drown, and people’s attempt to rescue him from the fish and the water dragon at the riverbed.

Nine teams in two divisions used four Dragon Boats to race two at a time down Brush Creek from the dock west to the dam and back, each colorful rowing crew kept steady by a drummer up front and straight by a rear rudder person. Scheduled heats among the corporate and college divisions ran from 10 AM to 2:30pm.

The team from Kansas City Parks and Recreation department won the corporate division trophy, over Sprint and Rotary Club 13. The International Club of Johnson County Community College prevailed over teams from KU Medical Center, the University of Kansas at Lawrence, Kansas State University, Beta Theta Pi at UMKC and Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) at UMKC.

Money raised by the Dragon Boat Festival is used to support three schools outside the Xi’an China school district. A $30 donation covers all costs of materials for one student for one year.

Financial Assistance for this project has been provided by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency. This project also is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts as well as the Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund of the City of Kansas City, Missouri.

Marcia Cooper

On July 26, 2008, the 4th Annual Kansas City International Dragon Boat Festival was completed and successful, except the cancling of Dragon Boat Race due to the weather. Kids Dragon Boat Racing was a very good addition to the kids activities this year.

Below are some pictures from that day. Please click on image for a larger view.

The Review of 2006 Kansas City Dragon Boat Festival

On June 10, 2006, the 2nd Annual Kansas City International Dragon Boat Festival was completed and very successful.

The Ceremony began with Mr. John Phillips, Vice President of The Society for Friendship with China, introducing Mayor Pro Tem Alvin Brooks of Kansas City, who delivered opening remarks. Mr. Phillips told the audience that the Dragon Boat Festival is to raise funds and make all community members aware of our Society's major project: to build a Chinese Garden in Swope Park in the near future.

The culture performances began with lion dance by Randy Li's School of Wing Chun followed by dragon dance by Tai Chi Studio and folk dances performed by KCCNA dance team. Other local groups and individuals joined the celebration as well. Attendance is estimated at about 500 people.

Three teams competed in the Dragon Boat races. Two races were first held and the winners of the first two races competed in the final. The Sheraton team rowed against the better rested but average 20 years' older team of the Plaza Rotary Club to fight for the champion. The Plaza Rotary drew upon their experience of last year and won the final. It is estimated that over 600 people watched the races.

An award banquet held at Bo Lings was attended by all contestants and the event planning committee members.

Below images are taken by Dan Gilbert during the Festival. Click on the image for a larger view.

Hosted by The Society for Friendship with China, Inc., the 1st Kansas City International Dragon Boat Festival was held on June 11th, 2005 at the Cafe Corner of Countryside Plaza. Although Dragon Race couldn't be started as planed on that day because of the thounder storm, all other related activities such as Cultural Stage Performances, Dragon Dance and Lion Dance were successfully held after raining. Over 700 people joined the festival.

Organized by KCCNA (Kansas City Chinese Network Association, which now is named KCCA), Cultural Stage Performances included Chinese folk dance, Chinese music and songs, Martial arts and Chinese traditional costume show etc. Wonderful performances won the prolonged applause from audience. Special festival food - Zhongzi and other chinese food were provided during the festival, and Zhongzi was very welcome.

Dragon Race was made up on July 16th, 2005. Total three teams joined the race, and The Plaza Rotary won the first place.

Starting this year, Dragon Boat Festival will be held on the second weekend in June annually, as an official festival reserved for KC people.

Click on the image for a larger view.