It’s <i> Dragon</i> , Not<i> Drag</i> , Racing
What do Echo Park Lake and a Chinese poet who died 2,500 years ago have in common? Dragon boat racing.
In China, the races evolved from the re-enactment of the search for the body of poet Chu Yuan who, according to legend, drowned himself in a river to protest his exile by a corrupt government.
On Saturday and Sunday, the ancient racing tradition will be renewed as part of the Los Angeles City Parks and Recreation Department’s annual Lotus Festival. It starts at noon both days, with opening ceremonies at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
The ceremonial boats will be paddled across the lake by eight-member crews (four men, four women) in two heats. Most of the teams are sponsored by corporations, but principal recreation supervisor Gat Lum said there will be student groups represented and some local politicians.
The races are only one part of the multifaceted celebration of 16 Asian Pacific cultures in Los Angeles.
“It’s an extremely diverse group,” said Lum, adding that despite some common threads, there are differences between Japanese, Chinese, Tongan, Filipino and other Asian cultures.
Other festival activities include continuous live entertainment, storytelling, food booths and a fireworks show on the lake at 8:45 p.m. Saturday.
The festival closes at 9 p.m. Saturday and 8 p.m. Sunday. Echo Park is at 1632 Bellevue Ave.
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