Festival Day
What happens on race day?
About a week before the event, Captains will be emailed the race schedule. It will also be posted on the ridethedragon.org website.
Race information will be posted on three large leader boards around the park on Race Day. Captain and team members, your responsibility is to get your team organized and ready to line up for racing. Our Dragonheart members will stop by to give you a paddling refresher course. If someone does not come, please ask anyone in a Dragonheart shirt to give you a lesson.
You will need to listen to the Athletes Village PA system all day to get your instructions to marshal to race. Your team will marshal 30 minutes prior to your race. Marshaling is a four-step process.
- The first step takes you to the tents alongside the bike path. Here you will be asked to perform your team song/chant to vie for Spirit prizes.
- You then head to warm up. Yee-Haaa!
- Next, you get your equipment and line up on-deck in the tents by Coast Guard.
- Then it’s time to load the boats and get ready to race your hearts out.
Your first heat is against a mix of community teams. After the race, you will be asked to stay together to have your official team photo taken. You have several hours before your second race where you can check out our entertainment, DragonMart, Silent Auction, and great food.
You will be asked to marshal for your second race 30 minutes prior to racing. Your second race is a Challenge Cup where you race teams of similar makeup, e.g. law firm vs law firm, etc., and vie for a trophy. Trophies and spirit awards will occur right after all Challenge Cups.
An announcement will be made once the Top 25 teams by time have been determined. These teams will immediately marshal for the Final Five Races. The finale will be the Citizens Bank Champ Cup Race and Award Ceremony.
Event Maps
Athlete's Village Site Map - Coming this summer
Waterfront Park Site Map
Race Day Schedule
Race Schedule by Heat and Time
Race Schedule by Team Name
Entertainment Schedule
Schedule of Events
Race Day Registration
Registration will be in the Main Stage Tent. Please arrive 1 hour and 15 minutes before your first race. All members of your team must be present at registration to initial signed waiver, and receive your racing bands.
Lost & Found
We have accumulated a lot of your property that has been left behind from practices. Be sure to reclaim it at our Volunteer/Information Tent.
Awards Galore!
You have the chance to win a trophy in your second race—the Challenge Cups. The award ceremonies will follow that race at the Awards Tent. We hope you are all ready to show your spirit to the max on Sunday. Remember, dress up your drummer, decorate your canopy, write your songs and chants, add a few dance steps, and wear those team T-shirts! We will be judging them all. Your time to perform your songs/chants and show off your spirit will be as you muster for your first racing heat. Our roving judges will be inspecting your Athlete Village campsites and banners throughout the day. Be ready for a song encore when they stop by your site! Spirit Awards winners will be determined in the early afternoon and awards are then available for pick up at the Awards Tent after 2:00 PM. Look for the “Got Spirit? Let’s Show It!” Banner. If you have an extra T-shirt to donate to Dragonheart, we will be hanging them on a clothesline for everyone to see. Some year, we would like to transform them into banners. We want everyone to enjoy the day and show Vermont the true spirit of dragon boating! Don't be shy! Let your spirit soar!
Dragonheart will be awarding prizes to the community teams in the following Categories:
- A Song in My HEART- Best Song
- Cheerful HEART- Best Cheer
- HEART Throb- Best T-shirt Design
- Let Me Call You SweetHEART- Best Name
- Rhythm of My HEART- It’s all about the Drummer!
- Hip Hop HEART- Best Dance moves
- HEARTfelt- Best Banner
- Home is Where the HEART is- Best Campsite
- HEART Pounding Fun!- It’s All About Fun!
- A Piece of My HEART- Most Enthusiastic
- Wild & Crazy HEARTS- WOW! All we can say is WOW!
Got spirit? Show it and you may be going home with a prize.