Dragon Boat Races, Flyboard Shows and Cultural Heritage Fair Bring Festive Buzz to Tonglu

On June 13, the 2026 Cultural and Natural Heritage Day and Tonglu Dragon Boat Festival Folk Cultural Activities was held in Tonglu County, Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province. Themed "Dragon Cruise on the Fuchun River, Tonglu Sets the Pace," the event was livestreamed online, attracting over 47,000 viewers.

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The event featured a range of activities, including a traditional dragon boat eye-dotting and ribbon-tying ceremony, dragon boat folk performances, and an intangible cultural heritage fair, highlighting Tonglu's rich cultural traditions and tourism appeal. At nine o'clock, the solemn ceremony began, with dragon boats dotted with eyes and adorned with red ribbons to carry people's hopes for peace, good fortune, and well-being. As the starting signal sounded along the riverbank, eight dragon boat teams from across Zhejiang, comprising nearly 200 paddlers, took to the water and staged a series of spirited races amid the county's lush mountains and clear waters. 

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On the river, paddles rose and fell in rhythm as dragon boats surged ahead, cutting through the waves and sending spray into the air. Spectators packed the riverbanks, cheering as the races unfolded. "The scenery along the Fuchun River is stunning, and the race experience was fantastic," said Wu Pan'an, a dragon boat team member, after the performance. "The enthusiasm of the people here really motivated us to give our best. We hope to share with everyone the dragon boat spirit of striving forward and pulling together as one."

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During breaks between the dragon boat races, the excitement continued along the riverbank with a flyboard show. Performers soared above the river, spinning and flipping in midair with agility and precision, adding an adrenaline-filled highlight to the festivities. As dragon boats raced on the river, the riverbanks buzzed with crowds and local flavor. At the waterfront platform of Xuesheng Square, an intangible cultural heritage fair brought together more than 20 booths featuring Tonglu's traditional crafts, local specialties and folk art, creating an immersive Dragon Boat Festival experience for visitors.