Prague Dragon Boat Festival

The Prague Dragon Boat Festival is the oldest dragon boat race in the Czech Republic – the first edition took place in 1998, and the 29th edition will be held in 2026. The festival takes place on the Vltava River at Žluté lázně from Friday 15 to Sunday 17 May 2026. The programme begins on Friday at 15:00 with the Rotary Dragon Boat Charity Challenge (16th edition), followed by an awards ceremony, party, and concert. On Saturday 16 May from 9:00, crews compete on small boats (10 Small Boats) in the categories MIX, OPEN, WOMEN, JUNIOR, FUN, and CORPORATE on sprint 200 m and long distance 1 km courses. On Sunday 17 May from 9:00, crews take to standard boats (20 Standard Boats) in the categories MIX, OPEN, WOMEN, FUN, and CORPORATE on sprint 200 m and long distance 2 km courses, with the festival ending at 16:00 with the awards ceremony. A total of 107 crews have registered in 10 categories. Races are held on standard boats for 20 paddlers and small boats for 10 paddlers. Dragon boat paddling originates from ancient China; the modern era of racing began in 1976 in Hong Kong. The event is organized by the Czech Dragon Boat Association (Dragon Boat Grand Prix).