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Tuesday 9 May 2017

Dragon Boat Festival 2017



As the summer gets underway, there is no shortage of amusement in Saltaire. Last weekend we had the Tour de Yorkshire coming through the village and this weekend it was the turn of the dragon-boat racers. It is the third year that this festival has been held in Roberts Park. This year it was bigger and better: three days of racing including a Youth Championship for schools, a Charity Championship and a Corporate Championship, with teams drawn from across the North of England. It all aims to raise thousands of pounds for various charities, including the Lord Mayor's nominated charity for 2017, Young Minds. Saturday's racing saw over 40 teams battling it out.  It all seemed more lavishly organised than previous years, with a pontoon across the river that made getting in and out of the boats much speedier and easier. 


Despite a chilly day on Saturday, the park was crowded with people picnicking and enjoying the sideshows. There was live music (another addition this year); a fun fair; displays by the army, police and fire service; market stalls and loads of food and drink, all reminiscent of the second weekend of the Saltaire Festival. Many of the visitors didn't really seem to be taking much interest in the actual racing, although you could watch it on a giant screen as well as some limited viewing alongside the river. All in a good cause, although some of Saltaire's residents might heave a collective sigh of relief when it's all over and the village goes quiet again...

5 comments:

  1. Thank you. Although I live quite close by the village, I cannot get there.

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  2. Looks great, nice to read about Summer, we had one day of that then the Arctic wind arrived, and it showed a bit this morning.

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  3. A colourful event Jenny, that's quite a substantial crowd of spectators there!

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  4. Quite an event! We have one here later in summer that's gone on for years. They actually did a winter version for the first time this past February on the ice.

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  5. What a great setting for this huge event.

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