Dragon Boat Festival 2026: Everything You Need To Know About The Races

No doubt you’re counting down to the Dragon Boat Festival public holiday, but how much do you know about its roots and traditions? We’re breaking down the customs of Tuen Ng Festival, as well as where to watch the races and where to get rice dumplings.

For some, it’s about the adrenaline rush of watching the races, for others it’s participating in the race and joining the festivities, and for the rest, it’s just another day off in Hong Kong. This year, the Dragon Boat Festival falls on Friday, 19 June but there’s more to this holiday than a race that draws the crowds. Read on to uncover its origins, the deeper meaning behind the Dragon Boat race, customs, traditions and more. 

Jump To:
The Origins Of The Dragon Boat Festival
Why A Dragon Boat?
Dragon Boat Festivities To Know
Where To Watch The Dragon Boat Race In Hong Kong 2026
Where To Get Traditional Rice Dumplings In Hong Kong 2026

Read More: Your Ultimate Junk Boat Guide — All-Inclusive Packages In Hong Kong

The Origins Of Dragon Boat Festival

While the Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated in Hong Kong, Mainland China and across Southeast Asian countries (Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia too), it originated in Ancient China during the Zhou dynasty (1050 – 221 BCE).

The story revolves around a poet named Qu Yuan from the Chu kingdom, who served as a high-ranking official for the royal household. The ruler of the Chu Kingdom wished to form an alliance with the Qin kingdom (believed to have had a corrupt system), a decision that Qu Yuan opposed. He was then accused of treason and exiled by the king.

28 years later, the Qin kingdom eventually overthrew the Chu kingdom, leading a desperate Qu Yuan to ending his life by drowning in the Miluo River. His followers rushed in their boats to save him but could not locate his body. They consequently began dropping balls of glutinous rice into the river so the fish would eat the rice balls instead of Qu Yuan’s body. They also banged gongs and drums to scare the fish away. This act of mourning and respect for the loyal poet marked the beginning of the Dragon Boat Festival tradition.

Read More: Things To Do In Hong Kong This Weekend

Why A Dragon Boat?

The dragon holds significant symbolic meaning in Chinese culture as the only mythical creature among the 12 Chinese zodiac animals. It’s associated with royalty and believed to be the ruler of the water element. The Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar (a month that’s considered inauspicious), with worshippers seeking the creature to ward off evil spirits and bad luck during this time.

The boat’s dragon head is also symbolic of the belief that the vessel will awaken the dragon from its slumber. By adorning the boats with a dragon’s head, it is believed that the powerful creature will be summoned and bestow its protective grace upon the participants and spectators of the festival.

Read More: Master Mandarin & Cantonese — Learn Chinese In Hong Kong

Dragon Boat Festivities To Know

Dragon Boat Races

Around 4,500 athletes representing 190 teams from 12 countries took part in the races in 2025, garnering a large cheering crowd. This year, upwards of 5,000 rowers are expected to participate in prominent dragon boat races, including the Stanley Dragon Boat Championships, the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association and the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club.

As part of the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Race’s 50th anniversary, a corresponding Dragon Boat Festival will be held at the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade between Friday, 19 June and Wednesday, 1 July, 2026, offering cultural heritage workshops, a VR dragon boat paddling experience and more.

Read More: Best Beachside & Seaview Restaurants, Beach Cafes and Beach Bars In Hong Kong

Rice Dumplings

To commemorate Qu Yuan, traditional sticky rice dumplings, known as zong in Cantonese and zongzi in Mandarin, are widely consumed. These pyramid-shaped dumplings are stuffed with either sweet or savoury ingredients (depending on the region you’re from) and are wrapped in bamboo leaves and tied together using string.

Read More: The Best Hong Kong Dim Sum – Where To Find Yum Cha In Hong Kong

Where To Watch The Dragon Boat Race In Hong Kong 2026

This year’s Dragon Boat Festival will see most Dragon Boat races taking place on Friday, 19 June. Plan your day trip accordingly to catch the races in Hong Kong this year:

• Aberdeen Dragon Boat Race: 8am to 4pm, Aberdeen Promenade/Aberdeen West Typhoon Shelter
• Stanley International Dragon Boat Championships 2026: 8am to 5pm, Stanley Main Beach
• Sai Kung Tuen Ng Festival: 8am to 1:30pm, Sai Kung Waterfront and Promenade
• Sha Tin Dragon Boat Race: 8am to 1pm, Shing Mun River (Banyan Bridge-Sha Yin Bridge)
• Tai Po Dragon Boat Race and Carnival: 8:30am to 1pm, Tai Po Waterfront Park Promenade
• Tuen Mun Dragon Boat Race: 9am to 1pm, Castle Peak Bay Typhoon Shelter, Area 44, Tuen Mun
• Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade & Race 2026: 7am to 2pm, Tai O Creek and Pier
• Cheung Chau Dragon Boat Race 2026: 10am to 4pm, Cheung Chau Typhoon Shelter

There are also other dragon boat races on different dates should you be unable to attend the main event:

• Eastern District Dragon Boat Race: Sunday, 14 June 2026, 8am to 5pm, Chai Wan, Cargo Handling Area, Chai Wan Waterfront
• Sun Life Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races, Saturday, 27 June, 8am to 6:15pm, Sunday, 28 June, 8am to 5pm, Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, Kowloon

Read More: Cheung Chau Island Guide

Where To Get Traditional Rice Dumplings In Hong Kong 2026

A number of Hong Kong hotels and restaurants are offering traditional rice dumplings to mark this year’s Dragon Boat Festival, each with a variety of fillings.

• Hopewell Inn – High-quality rice dumplings, with premium ingredients such as abalone, conpoy and morel mushrooms. www.hopewellhotel.com
• Man Ho at JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong – Classic festive gift sets including dried abalone glutinous rice dumpling, red bean and pork dumpling, with options to upgrade. jwmarriotthkoffers.com
• The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong– Choose between a deluxe rice dumpling set with abalone or a premium sweet rice dumpling set (or get them both!), all housed in a beautiful lotus-inspired gift box. www.ritzcarltonhkshop.com
• Lung King Heen at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong – Enjoy a selection of glutinous rice dumplings with ingredients such as pork belly, lotus seed paste, red bean, abalone and more, paired with premium Chinese tea. shopfourseasonshk.com
• Spring Moon at The Peninsula Hong Kong – Not only can you dive into premium and deluxe rice dumplings, as well as a Golden Twins set, you can also opt for a gift set that comes with The Peninsula’s famed Sichuan and Chiu Chow chilli sauce. eshopphk.peninsula.com
• The Legacy House at Rosewood — Premium sweet and savoury sticky rice dumplings crafted by Executive Chef Li Chi Wai. www.rosewoodhkshop.com
• Hoi King Heen at InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong  — Pick from glutinous rice dumpling with whole South African abalone and Japanese black mushrooms, rice dumplings with wagyu cheek in Sichuan style and a dessert-style dumpling with mango, sago, pomelo and grapefruit. www.hongkong.intercontinental.com

Read More: Must-Visit Cha Chaan Tengs & Hong-Kong Style Restaurants