2026 Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival

Join us at the 2026 Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival on October 10, 2026

The Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival offers a day of great fun and team-building and will take place at a beautiful new venue in 2026:  Pittsburgh Brewing Company on the Allegheny River!

Created to showcase the sport of dragon boat racing and to support Breast Cancer Survivors (BCS), the Festival features spirited racing among Community/Corporate, Sport, BCS/ACS and Youth teams. Join us for this celebration of dragon boat racing, culture, community and survivorship.

More information about the Festival (register a team, become a sponsor, and more) can be found here: Click Here!

History of the Dragon Boat

Rich in tradition and Chinese Culture, Dragon Boating dates as far back as 2500 years ago. Legend says that Dragon Boating was conceived when Qu Yuan, a great poet, was exiled by the King and in great hopelessness, Qu Yuan then committed suicide on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. The community was deeply saddened by his death and paddled out in search of his body; hitting the water with their paddles and beating drums. Thus a tradition was formed by creating Dragon Boat Races in his memory.

Festival Organized by Pittsburgh Hearts of Steel.