2nd Annual Dutchess Dragon Boat Race and Festival
POUGHKEEPSIE, NY:
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Photo by Doug Nobiletti
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The dragons are coming back to Poughkeepsie onSaturday, July 25 for the 2nd Annual Dutchess Dragon Boat Race and Festival. Featuring Dragon Boat Races on the water and the Asian Festival on shore, the event will provide a full day of fun.
The Dutchess Dragon Boat Race and Festival will begin at 9:00am with a ceremony that awakens the dragon and includes local elected officials to kick off the day. While the races begin, the festival will provide performance, demonstrations, food and art for attendees. The festival’s performances and demonstrations are free and open to the public.
Master Kwan brings the Lion Dance to the Dutchess Dragon Boat Festival for the second year. Last year’s performance featured Lion Dancers that leapt off the stage and danced through the audience in a visually stunning performance. Returning to the Dragon Boat Festival stage, festival goers can enjoy dances from the young performers of the Waist Drum Dance Team from Mid-Hudson HuaXia Chinese School. The school is committed to teach children the rich Chinese traditions and culture.
Arm-of-the-Sea Theater will present a live performance at 11:00am of HOOK, LINE, and SINKER: Fishing the Hudson River. Using the power of mask and Puppet Theater, HOOK, LINE, and SINKER peers beneath the surface and explores the Hudson’s dual identity as prolific natural ecosystem, and PCB-contaminated Superfund site. The visually-charged show features live music and a bevy of low-tech special effects that reveal the river’s complex inner life. Pitched to oldsters and youngsters alike, HOOK, LINE & SINKER celebrates the timeless art of fishing while offering the low-down on eating fish from the Hudson.
Live music performance will be provided by Gamelan Djam Gong, Bill Ylitalo’s avant-garde gamelan group that plays a unique blend of traditional and contemporary music inspired by the Indonesian isles.
Artists will be demonstrating traditional arts, such as, Yan Lyu’s multiple color print making using carved wood blocks and printing on rice paper. Other traditional Chinese crafts will include paper folding, calligraphy, and children will enjoy the dragon face painting. Chinese food arts will be demonstrated for all to see how to make dumplings, spring rolls and other Chinese delicacies. Master Kwon will be performing Kung Fu and there will be Chinese YoYo demonstrations.
The Dutchess Dragon Boat Festival will include local food vendors serving up fresh treats. Regional artists will bring their artworks and other community groups will share information on their services.
The event is held at the Hudson River Rowing Association Community Boat House in Poughkeepsie, and events begin at 8:00am until 3:00pm. This event is sponsored by Dutchess Tourism, with all proceeds benefitting Arts Mid-Hudson and Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation.
CALENDAR LISTING:
2nd Annual Dutchess Dragon Boat Race and Festival
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Opening Ceremony: 9:00am
Event Hours: 8:00am-3:00pm
270-272 N. Water Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
The mission of Arts Mid-Hudson is to provide vision and leadership to support thriving and diverse arts in the Mid-Hudson Valley. Through our art partners, a diverse offering of arts and cultural programs, many free, attract a range of age groups, and are produced across a broad geographic area.
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