Uniforms

Wear your “BALTIMORE DRAGON BOAT CLUB SINCE 2008” team uniform shirt and black bottoms. Tank tops or cut-off sleeves are not allowed.

If you do not have the team uniform shirt, please wear another black BDBC shirt or a black shirt.

Information for specific Races

Click the links below to see information about a specific race

Basic things to bring

  • Chair
  • Sunscreen
  • Seat pad

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Charlotte Dragon Boat Festival

Race Site Location

Address: Ramsey Creek Park, 18441 Nantz Road, Cornelius, NC

Parking

While the race occurs at the Park, everyone will need to park at the Newell Rubbermaid parking lot and then catch a shuttle bus, which will deliver you to the race site.  The address is 16905 North Cross Drive, Huntersville, NC.  The bus leaves to take you to the race site at 7:30. Make sure you are there in time to get yourself and your gear on the bus. No one has ever gotten into any trouble for arriving early.

PFDs

All PFDs are required and must be Coast Guard approved. There is a rule prohibiting the use of inflatable PFDs at this race. Please use a normal PFD.  PFDs will be provided to people that don’t have their own.

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Philadelphia Independence Dragon Boat Regatta (June race)

Race site location

Address: 2200 Kelly Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19129.

The road will be closed from City Center, so you should enter from the west.

Parking

Kelly Drive will be closed starting at 5:30AM.

Cars with IDBR Parking Passes will be permitted to enter and park on the drive.

All the good parking is normally gone by 6:00 AM. Having a parking pass does not mean you can park close to the team tents. The race organizers are recommending that all paddlers plan to be parked on the drive no later than 7:00 AM.

Carpooling is encouraged.

You can also go up the hill to Strawberry Mansion Drive and park along Randolph Drive (Fairmount Park Athletic Fields) and park for free – it’s about a half-mile walk down to the race site.

Click here for a map of the venue.

PFDs

All Paddlers in all boats MUST wear USCG approved PFD’s. (Personal Flotation Device) No exceptions. Inflatable PFDs are permitted for experienced crews ONLY (ERDBA teams, club teams). Paddlers may bring their own personal vests for use.  PFDs will be provided to people that don’t have their own.

PFDs are for your safety. If you do not know that in an emergency you can deploy an inflatable PFD and get it over your head, please do not wear one. Just use your regular vest.

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Washington DC Dragon Boat Festival

Race Site Location

Address: Thompsons Boat Center, 2900 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

This is a national park which means there is a no beer/alcohol rule in effect.

Parking

You will want to park at the Kennedy Center parking lot or Watergate (these are the two closest spots). Parking will run approximately $20/day. Another option is the garage in Georgetown. You can pull into the boathouse at Thompsons Boat Center to drop off gear but parking is not available here. You will be towed!

PFDs

PFDs are required and must be Coast Guard approved. There is a rule prohibiting the use of inflatable PFDs at this race. Please use a normal PFD.  PFDs will be provided to people that don’t have their own.

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Richmond Dragon Boat Festival

Race Site Location

Address: Rocketts Landing, 4708 East Old Main Street, Richmond, VA 23231

Glass bottles, BBQs and grills are prohibited at Rocketts Landing. Coolers are allowed and every bag is subject to search. (They frequently check all bags as you enter the venue in the morning.)

Alcoholic beverages are not permitted but there is a beer truck where you can purchase cold beverages but it is usually closed up and gone by the time we finish.

Parking

Click here for a parking map. Parking near the venue is limited so get there early if you want a decent spot.

PFDs

Inflatable PFDs are allowed. All persons on the boat must be wearing a Coast Guard approved PFD.  PFDs will be provided to people that don’t have their own.

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Mercer County Dragon Boat Festival

Coming soon….

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Philadelphia Dragon Boat Festival (October Race)

Race site location

Address: 2200 Kelly Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19129.

The road will be closed from City Center, so you should enter from the west.

Parking

Kelly Drive will be closed starting at 5:30 AM.

Cars with Parking Passes will be permitted to enter and park on the drive.

All the good parking is normally gone by 6:00 AM. Having a parking pass does not mean you can park close to the team tents.

Carpooling is encouraged.

If you do not have a parking pass you will need to park in Fairmont park and pay a $12 parking fee. A shuttle bus will take you to the race site (use stop 2). If you have a parking pass and Kelly Drive is full, you will be detoured into Fairmount Park and pay the parking fee.

Alcoholic beverages are permitted at this race site but not until all of our boats have finished their races. We race together, we celebrate together.

PFDs

All Paddlers in all boats MUST wear USCG approved PFD’s. No exceptions. Paddlers may bring their own personal vests for use. Inflatable PFDs are not permitted.  PFDs will be provided to people that don’t have their own.

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