Crowds gather at Queens Dock for traditional Dragon Boat Festival race

Crowds gathered at Liverpool's Queens Dock to celebrate the annual Dragon Boat Festival race.

The festival is a traditional holiday celebrated in China and by Chinese communities around the world and is marked by the racing of dragon boats and the eating of Zongzi dumplings.

The event held today, Saturday, April 27 was attended by dozens of people who gathered at Queens Dock's Liverpool Watersports Centre to cheer on teams from the University of Liverpool, the University of Manchester, Lancaster University, Edge Hill University, and the University of Central Lancashire.

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Dragon boat racing is a 2,000 year old tradition born from the ancient tale of poet Qu Yuan. Nowadays the dramatic, dragon-themed boats and rhythmic drums have turned into a commemorative event that makes for thrilling viewing.

The traditional ceremony was opened by a vibrant ceremony and lion dance. The University of Liverpool team is comprised of students and staff who are members of the Confucius Institute, as well as members of the local Chinese community.

This year's event, which is an annual occurrence after being hosted previously at the Queens Dock in 2023 and at Preston Marina the year before, also marked the 15th anniversary of the University of Liverpool Confucius Institute.

The institute is a collaborative project between the University of Liverpool, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China (XJTLU) and the Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban). The institute works collaboratively with councils in Liverpool and Merseyside, schools and a number of cultural organisations to promote Chinese language and culture.