Blazing Glory At The Dragonboat Races

by SUSANNAH LONG · May 17, 2010

    There's no better way to celebrate the District's sprintime warmth and water than with a Dragon Boat race. Our favorite team name this year was Ready Oar Not, but we're also partial to Booz Allen BetaFish and Hua Fu Youth. The last one sounds authentic. Unlike Team Bank of America, which DCist sadly lists as one of the competitors.

    The Dragonboat Festival features Taiwanese-style racing boats and begins each year with an eye-dotting ceremony, in which Taoist priests offer prayers to the spirits of the dragon boats. The ritual symbolically calls the dragon boats to life, and the races commence.

    And there's always tons of oars.

    Row, baby, row.

    [All photos courtesy of DCist]