The 7th annual Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Races hits Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park, the Marriott Waterside and waters of Garrison Channel on May 1st, 2010!  60+ teams from local corporate and community groups as well as paddlers from across the U.S. and Canada will vie to be Tampa's #1 Dragon Boat Team! 

This is a race run with exact precision, and professional equipment through the partnership of Great White North and their staff.  450m on the waters of Garrison Channel, with a fully buoyed 5-lane course, where the waters are always calm and the sun always shines the first weekend in May!  

The event kicks off at 8:30 in the morning with the Opening Ceremonies on the Marriott Waterside  patio, and the first race at 9am, with a heat running every 10 minutes.  Each team races 3 times throughout the day, being seeded into a division, and then getting the chance to become a Division Champion!

During our first ever INTERNATIONAL FOOD AND BEER FESTIVAL from 11 am to 7 pm, athletes and spectators alike enjoy food, beverage and entertainment in the Athlete's Village at Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park. The day's entertainment will feature 3 live bands and kick off at 11 am with Early Morning Project and followed by No Money Down. Asia Fest occurrs simultaneously on the St. Pete Times Forum patio and will feature Asian cultural performances, martial arts, a fashion show, and authentic Asian foods.

A Breast Cancer Ceremony will be held during the lunch break where we celebrate the lives of men and women who have lost their battle to cancer over the years with a traditional pink carnation ceremony.

Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful is sponsoring the Recycle Regatta also taking place on lunch break. It’s a 25 yard race for high school groups who have made their own watercraft from at least 70% recycled material. In order to win the vessel will need to not only stay afloat, but be fast enough to win!

Following the Recycle Regatta is the Stand Up Paddleboarding demo race. Spectators and participants will get a chance to see how Stand Up Paddling is really done by one of the experts prior to the Stand Up Paddle Race.

The day finishes off with a Paddler's Party in the Beer Garden until 7 pm! The party will include live music from the Tampa band Velvet Jones, an awards ceremony, and free beer for participants!  Fun for the whole family!

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