Welcome to the 1st Venice Canoe & Dragon Boat Festival! A spectacular 200mt sprint event held in just as spectacular surroundings, with the Opening Ceremony a parade of dragon boats and drums through Venice’s Grand Canal!
Who we are
Venice Canoe & Dragon Boat was established 2003 and was formed by a group of friends who were eager to develop the many opportunities provided by this unusual boat with the head and tail in the form of a dragon. Students, managers, athletes, tourists and whoever else has had the opportunity to try this fascinating boat has remained enthusiastic by the strength with which this sport brings people together.
- “All together in the same boat! All together to the beat of the drum!” – with these slogans, men and women of all ages and walks of life have experienced the emotions of paddling with their friends and colleagues with a common goal – it could be as simple as a leisurely excursion, or as tough as a victory at a World Championships!
Perseverance and experience
As years passed, our Club attained experience (and results) not only on a competitive basis but also in the organisation of events. We had to overcome the local scepticism about this ‘strange-looking’ water-craft and persevered to spread this sport throughout the city and the lagoon. Some local schools quickly caught on to the potential these boats offered (both on a social and cultural basis) and now we hold the largest annual school program in Italy.
The Origins of the Festival
The idea of holding a dragon boat Festival has been maturing since 2009 when Venice Canoe & Dragon Boat and Venice Sport Events started organising various dragon boatand canoeing events, including the Italian FICK DB Championships, the annual Venetian End-of-School Year finals (now in it’s 9th edition with up to 1000 schoolchildren) and an International Canoe and Kayak regatta, as 
well as supplying support boats and staff for a number of other events.
With our Club based in Venice, what more spectacular place to be able to race in, or simply paddle around… Such a beautiful city and surroundings – why not invite the world to take part in a Festival in Venice, to share the experience of racing in what is really a unique location.
Our Club has participated in various international dragon boat events, and we know what it is like to be in an exotic location – the excitement, the adrenalin, the awe….
A Festival for the professional racing teams and a Festival for who just loves to paddle for fun.
This Festival has been designed to fit in with another just as spectacular event held annually in Venice – the Vogalonga – a 33km non-competitive rowing event, now in it’s 38th edition, that sees thousands of rowers and paddlers from all over the world snake through the Northern Lagoon and along the Grand Canal in a myriad of colourful boats of all shapes and sizes (dragon boats included, of course!)
This, we believe, gives paddlers the opportunity to not only participate in two memorable events, both spectacular in their surroundings, but also to visit what is a unique city – Venice.
