Sydney to host biggest Dragon Boat Festival in the Southern Hemisphere

  • Darling Harbour is planning the biggest Dragon Boat Festival in the Southern Hemisphere with 3,000 paddlers.
  • The traditional Dragon Boat Festival is supposed to happen in May but some cities include a Dragon Boat race as part of their Chinese New Year celebrations.
  • The festival will run for three days at Cockle Bay Wharf.
  • READ MORE: Here’s the full schedule of lion dance performances in Sydney for Lunar New Year 2025.

With Chinese New Year events locked in for the next 19 days (from Wednesday, January 29), Sydney is celebrating the Year of the Snake with all sorts of street festivals, art installations, lion dances, and what’s being touted as the biggest Dragon Boat Festival in Sydney and the Southern Hemisphere.

Scheduled for Friday, February 5 to Sunday, February 7, Darling Harbour’s Dragon Boat Festival in Sydney will feature no less than 3,000 paddlers shredding the water in 12-metre long dragon boats to pay homage to the tradition, which can be traced back to the rivers of Southern China.

The Dragon Boat Festival in Sydney has long been held as a symbol to bring prosperous rains, today fashioned as a highly efficient, fast-paced water sport that’s mesmerising to watch from the shoreline. Spectators will be able to catch all the action from Cockle Bay Wharf across the three days as the long tail boats, decorated as dragons, snake across the harbour during the Dragon Boat Festival in Sydney.

A spectacular opening ceremony will take place before the first race, paying homage to the union of Australian and Chinese cultures to promote a message of diversity and inclusion.

Sydney Travel Guide has included the schedule below so you can plan ahead.

  • Friday, February 7 will start at 3pm and run until 8pm with a mix of twilight racing and mixed crews from both the corporate teams and social teams.
  • Saturday, February 8 will feature senior A, B, C and BCS teams with a day race for heats and a seeded final. Racing classes are open, women and mixed.
  • The final day, Sunday, February 9 is for premier, 24U and junior classes with day racing from 8am to 5pm.

Traditionally, the official Dragon Boat Festival in Sydney is held on the 5th day of the 5th month but some cities also include Dragon Boat races as part of their annual Lunar New Year celebrations.

In previous years, the Dragon Boat Festival at Darling Harbour has also been lined with food stalls with the odd lion showing up to chase off evil spirits during the Dragon Boat Festival in Sydney.

What is the original of the Dragon Boat Festival?

The Dragon Boat Festival is an important part of Chinese culture and, as above, is traditionally held on May 5. Also known as the Double Fifth Festival, the traditional Chinese holiday dates back more than 2,000 years when Qu, a poet and court official, drowned himself in 278 BCE to protest corruption. The racing itself pays homage to the villagers who rushed out in boats to rescue him, thrashing the water with paddles to prevent his body from being eaten by fish.

Participating in the Dragon Boat Festival in Sydney is not only a thrilling experience but also a way to connect with the rich cultural heritage of the event.

May is traditionally seen as an unlucky time of the year which is why this tradition, amongst many others, usually takes place then.

The festival is so exciting to watch because these paddled long boats, traditionally made of wood, are decorated with dragon heads with tails on each end.

Related
Australian Ice cream toy souvenirs

Best places to buy Sydney souvenirs that aren’t terrible

Not a cane toad coin purse or kangaroo paw bottle opener in sight.
Marriage proposals in Sydney

Popping the question this Valentine’s Day? Get a proposals planner

When taking a stroll around Sydney Harbour this Valentine’s Day, you might spot a nervous groom or bride-to-be standing in a carefully-designed array of flowers, candles, pillows and adornments, with the dazzling words ‘Will You Marry Me’ lit up behind ... Read more
A huge party for Mardi Gras

The 29 best Sydney Mardi Gras events & parties 2025

Welcome to our Sydney Mardi Gras guide, where we’ve given you the the low down on all the best events, parties and performances that will pepper Sydney’s streets with pride from February 14 to March 2, 2025. This year’s Sydney ... Read more
Cakes by Black Star Pastry

Black Star Pastry’s bespoke Valentine’s Day cakes redefine indulgence

Cult-favourite bakery Black Star Pastry and QT Hotels & Resorts are getting onboard with Valentine’s Day indulgence this month, nodding to the neologisms of modern dating with two bespoke cakes, The Love Bomb and The Ghost. The creators of the ... Read more