Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival cancelled one week before scheduled dates
Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival cancelled over low team turnout and rising costs See why organizers paused the event and what’s next for paddlers in Nanaimo
The Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival has been cancelled just one week before it was set to take place on July 11 and 12, organizers said.
Event organizer Holly Wylie said the decision was driven by a lack of local teams, even though some competitors were expected from the mainland, Alberta, and the United States. She said overlapping festival dates and rising costs made it harder for teams to commit.
Wylie also said participation in dragon boat racing has not fully recovered after the pandemic, and organizers hope to regroup for a return in 2027. Another competitive paddling event in Nanaimo is still planned for the following week.