Dragon Boat Mini-Museum Funded by Ministry of Tourism and Culture Supported by Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office
With the support from the Government of Ontario, Ministry of Tourism and Cultural, this year the festival has a new component – “Dragon Boat Mini-museum” that focuses on the historical and cultural aspects of the Dragon Boat festival, from which the current dragon boat race emerged. Given the athletic focus of dragon boat races in North America, few tourists and race participants realize that the festival was originally about the heroic sacrifice of an ancient poet over 2,000 years ago and that rice dumplings are traditionally made for this festival. Through demonstration and hands-on practices, this new program will allow attendees to learn more about the Dragon Boat Festival and the Chinese culture. This new component is indeed an enhancement to the competition aspect of the festival, and involves the following programs:
- Exhibition of artefacts used for dragon boat races and Dragon Boat Festival
- Interactive lessons on the history of Dragon Boat Festival by instructors
- Photo opportunities for attendees with actors dressed in historical costumes
- Dragon boat-themed games and riddles for children and adults
- Demonstration of the art of wrapping rice dumplings with lotus leaves
- Opportunities for visitors to practice wrapping rice dumplings
- Are-imperial Warring States Era (475 – 221 BC) whose sacrifice inspired the first Dragon Boat Festival,
- Instructions on dragon boat paddling techniques. Opportunities for visitors, including children and those with disabilities, to paddle by qualified coaches
Below is a time table of the Dragon Boat Mini-Museum:
| Dragon Boat Mini-Museum 小型龍舟博物館 | |||
| Friday, June 18 星期五, 六月十八日 | 12noon to 5p.m. 正午十二時至下午五時 | ||
| Saturday and Sunday, June 19 and 20 星期六,日, 六月十九及二十日 | 10:30a.m. to 5p.m. 上午十時半至下午五時 | ||
| Program | Friday, June 18 | Saturday, June 19 | Sunday, June 20 |
Dragon Boat Mini-Museum Display |
12noon - 5p.m. | 10:30a.m. to 5p.m. | 10:30a.m. to 5p.m. |
| Dragon Boating 101 扒龍舟技巧課程 |
* On-water training | * Training on land | * Training on land |
| 1p.m. | 12noon | 12noon | |
| 2:30p.m. | 1:30p.m. | 1:30p.m. | |
| 3p.m. | 3p.m. | ||
| 4:30p.m. | 4:30p.m. | ||
| Dragon Boat Re-enactment Show 話劇 | 2p.m. (Main Stage) | 2p.m. (Main Site) | 2p.m. (Main Site) |
| 3:15p.m. (Race Site) | 3:15p.m. (Main Site) | ||
| The Making of Rice Dumplings 包糭子示範 |
1p.m. | 11:30a.m. | 11:30a.m. |
| 3:30p.m. | 1p.m. | 1p.m. | |
| 3:30p.m. | 3:30p.m. | ||
| Photo Booth 免費照相 | 2:30p.m. | 2:30p.m. | 2:30p.m. |
| 3:45p.m. | 3:45p.m. | 3:45p.m. | |
| Colouring/Drawing 繪畫及填色 | Every hour | Every hour | Every hour |
| from 1p.m. to 5p.m. | from 12noon to 5p.m. | from 12noon to 5p.m. | |
Origami 摺紙 |
Every hour | Every hour | Every hour |
| from 1:30p.m. to 4:30p.m. | from 1:30p.m. to 4:30p.m. | from 1:30p.m. to 4:30p.m. | |
| Story Telling/Book Selling 讀故事 | - | 2p.m. | 2p.m. |