The 36th Annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival is underway this weekend (August 8–9) at Flushing Meadows Corona Park — New York’s largest multicultural festival and one of the biggest dragon boat events in the country. Admission is free, rain or shine. Teams of up to 20 paddlers, led by a drummer and guided by a steersperson, race in colorfully decorated teak and fiberglass boats across Meadow Lake, their hand-painted dragon heads and tails making them look like works of art skimming the water. Beyond the racing, the festival grounds offer a main stage with live music and martial arts demonstrations, a traditional arts and crafts area, and an international food court. It’s the kind of weekend spectacle that defines a New York summer — free, family-friendly, and culturally rich. The park is easily reachable via the 7 train to Mets–Willets Point.

Read the full story at the festival website