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Lake Ontario will be invaded with Dragon Boats when Oswego's second annual Dragon Boat Festival takes place Sept. 7.
Teams have already formed and the captains met Tuesday, March 26, at the YMCA Armory to discuss the festival updates and plans for fundraising. The whole community is invited to participate and funds raised from the event will benefit the YMCA's Kids Strong Campaign.
The festival is currently looking for more participants to join teams. Teams are broken up into sections of corporate, community and SUNY student boats. When the teams are filled, there will be a wait list for participants. Each boat will have 20 paddlers plus a drummer, which is crucial to the team's level of unison, according to Jackie Sheffield a coordinator of the festival at the YMCA stated.
"No equipment or experience in Dragon Racing is necessary," Sheffield said. "All teams will receive one-hour time frames to practice the week prior to the festival. If teams raise an additional $500 over the minimum of their division, then additional practice times will be given. This year ,we are trying we are trying to make it a great year and have the same recognition we did as last year."
Last year, she said, teams had fun with the festival and in the spirit of the event, donned fun hats and costumes to match each other.
"We are working on incentives for best team outfit, tent themes and other things of that matter," Sheffield said.
Captains will be in charge of making sure teams make the first deposit for their division by Monday, April 1, and begin fundraising right away, according to Sheffield.
Some teams have raised money through bake sales, online sales or vending at other events. Oswego's Dragon Festival will be located at Breitbeck Park. The festival will have three bands this year along with "dragon land" for kids, tent spaces, vending food sections, a marketplace to shop at, plus more to be announced.
"The money goes to the Y's programs for children of Oswego called the Strong Kids Campaign," Kyle Walton, a YMCA athletic coordinator, said. "The children and families will receive the funds and be able to participate in the YMCA's membership and program."
Oswego began this festival to bring about recognition for the Strong Kids scholarships and to allow the community to have a great time participating in a competitive all-day festival. The festival will have professional Dragon Boat racers from Canada coming the week of the races. Last year, the festival raised $19,206.02 after festival expenses.
The next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., August 27, at the Oswego YMCA Armory.
To learn more about the history of the event or to register for a team go to Oswegodragon.com. Vendors and sponsors are still needed for the event and donations are always welcome.
Contact Jackie Sheffield for more information on the festival at 315-343-1981 or 315-342-6082.
