The Boston Dragon Boat Festival is the oldest dragon boat festival in the United States.  Hosting over 70 teams and 60,000+ festival attendees and athletes in 2025, it is one of the largest dragon boat festivals on the east coast. Festival day includes arts and crafts, performances, food trucks, and racing.  It is a fun event where families and friends can enjoy the summer weather and be part of the community.

The mission of Boston Dragon Boat Festival is to promote and develop the sport of dragon boating, to promote the cultural understanding and appreciation of Asian cultures, and to encourage healthy living for all.  We aim to promote this cultural understanding through this sport and our Asian cultural programs.  Through both these avenues, we hope to encourage unity and health in our community and Boston.

The festival is now organized by Boston Dragon Boat Festival, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization since 2009. All board and committee members are volunteers. We work hard year round to bring dragon boat festival and races to the people of Greater Boston every year on the second Sunday of June.