Rowan Chamber's 12th Annual Dragon Boat Festival Opens for Team Registration
May 28, 2026
Grab your paddles and rally your team! The Rowan Chamber’s Dragon Boat Festival returns to High Rock Lake for its 12th year on Saturday, August 22.
The festival will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Rowan Shrine Club, located at 6480 Long Ferry Road in Salisbury. As the largest annual spectator event held on High Rock Lake, the Dragon Boat Festival attracts paddling teams, businesses, community organizations, families, and spectators from across the region. More than 3,000 people attended last year’s event.
Guests can enjoy Dragon Boat races throughout the day, along with vendors, food trucks, entertainment, and activities for all ages.
“We’re thrilled to bring the Rowan Chamber Dragon Boat Festival back for its 12th year,” said Daniel Matangira, Chairman. He continued, “It’s an incredible way to build team spirit, connect with the community, and celebrate everything that makes Rowan County such a special place to live and work.”
Register Your Team
The dragon boat races are the main event of the festival, which features up to 30 teams paddling across a 300-meter course on water. Each team races in three heats, competing in divisions including corporate, community/nonprofit, or club.
You can register your team by heading to rowanchamber.com/dragon-boat-festival and following the “Register Your Team” link.
Attending the Festival
This event is free to attend for spectators, and guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. No pets, coolers, or outside food are permitted. Parking will be available for a fee in adjacent lots to the Shrine Club, with proceeds benefiting East Rowan High School. Trolley and shuttle vans will provide transportation between parking areas and the Shrine Club property. Boats are welcome to view from the main channel or can dock behind the Shrine Club to enjoy the food and festivities.
Learn More About the Competition
Pan Am Dragon Boat Company oversees the competition and provides each team with all the necessary equipment (boat, paddles, life vests). Teams learn how to paddle during an introductory practice session. Each team has 20 paddlers (a minimum of eight must be female), and a drummer. On race day, each team will compete in three heats on a 300m straight course.
Dragon Boat racing is a 2,300-year-old tradition from Ancient China with 45’ sleek boats donned with dragon heads, tails, and scales. Colorful drummers sit in the bow pounding the drum to the beat of the paddlers’ stroke, and a steersperson stands in the stern guiding the team down the water racecourse.
Team entries, corporate sponsorships, and vendor opportunities are open for the event by going to the event website rowanchamber.com/dragon-boat-festival. For more information, please contact the Rowan Chamber at 704.633.4221 or info@rowanchamber.com.