5th Annual Dragon Boat Festival By: Angie Jennings aka Jin Anqi (金安琪)
The Society for Friendship with China, the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department sponsored the Dragon Boat Festival with the assistance from Kansas City Chinese Association (KCCA), Tsinghua Alumni Association of Greater Kansas City, and the Kansas City Plaza Rotary Club.
Preparations for the race and other activities began early in the morning. I arrived late, around 9 am, to document the festival from beginning to end.
The rowers were to arrive for early practice, and to learn the rhythm of rowing, drumming and how to keep the boat straight. When the KCCA team arrived one member said: “ I hope we don’t go in the water, I don’t want to get wet.” Thus their fate was sealed. They slalomed back and forth hitting the side-walls of the creek. All of the teams would have this experience at one point or another before, during and after the race. The KCCA boat was coming down-stream and they headed straight for the wall. It looked as if moderate panic took over, because balance was lost and so were glasses, shoes, phones and other items one would carry in the pocket. The boat tipped and rolled over, everyone one went in. There were no injuries, I am happy to report, and a great story for the rowers. They pulled together, helped each other out of the water, got the boat out and bailed the water. The whole crew then placed the boat back in then everyone carefully re-boarded and rowed back to the dock.
The festivities on dry land began around 10:00am. There was a food booth selling zongzi, along with other food items, and various other booths selling fans, paper umbrellas, dragon boats, t-shirts, beverages and a photography exhibit depicting images of China. There were children’s activities such as making fans, boats, and they could have their own, dry, boat race. On the main stage the audience was delighted to watch the beautiful children drumming, doing dances from various Chinese minorities, an amazing martial arts demonstration, traditional Chinese music from the guzheng (古筝), lovely sounding Chinese singers and a fashion show to close the stage. Throughout the day one could purchase a wishing lily.
At one o’clock preparations were underway to “wake the Dragon”, a ceremony to open the races. The dragon was resting behind the stage waiting for the children to come and roust him and take him to the water. …