The 2026 Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival will take place at a beautiful new venue (with plenty of parking and tent space!) in 2026: Pittsburgh Brewing Company (150 Ferry Street, Creighton, PA 15030) on October 10, 2026. Created to showcase the sport of dragon boat racing and to support Breast Cancer Survivors (BCS), the Festival features spirited racing among Community/Corporate, Sport, Youth and BCS/ACS teams. It is a celebration of dragon boat racing, culture, community and survivorship.
This event is FREE for spectators! We encourage the local community to join us for a fun-filled day of dragon boat racing and entertainment in support of breast cancer awareness.
History of Dragon Boating:
Rich in tradition and Chinese culture, Dragon Boating dates as far back as 2,500 years ago. Legend says that dragon boating was conceived when Qu Yuan, a great poet, was exiled by the King and in great hopelessness Qu Yuan then committed suicide on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. The community was deeply saddened by his death and paddled out in search of his body; hitting the water with their paddles and beating drums. Thus tradition was formed by creating dragon boat races in his memory. Although there are varying stories embedded within the many regions of China; each legend carries the same significant Chinese cultural themes of virtue, spirit, loyalty, and honor. With the Dragon having great importance within the Chinese culture, the boat is very symbolic. In China, a Dragon represents strength and has encouraging powers, especially over water. Traditionally, each boat has an ornately carved dragon’s head at the bow and a tail for the stern. The hull is painted with dragon scales. Dragon boat paddlers not only have strength and endurance, but have exquisite teamwork and harmony.