The 10th edition of the UK Chinese Dragon Boat Festival rocked Salford, Greater Manchester, on June 8 and 9, bringing together over 80 amateur and professional teams for thrilling dragon boat races. 🐉🏆
Since its inception in 2012, the festival has grown to become one of the biggest dragon boat racing tournaments not just in Britain but across Europe. This year, event organizers spiced things up with vibrant performances of martial arts, lion dances, and dragon dances, showcasing the richness of Chinese culture. 💃🦁
\"We want to make the event more than a dragon boat race,\" said Li Xuebing, vice president of the Xinhua Chinese Association in Britain. \"We want to make it a platform to promote Chinese culture.\"
Local enthusiasts also joined in the fun, with performers expressing their excitement to share the joy of dragon boat racing with the UK audience. \"I'm happy to help represent that in the UK,\" one performer shared. \"Hopefully, more Western people come to understand the fun you can have in the dragon boat race.\"
A major highlight of this year's festival was the participation of Premier League giants Manchester United and Manchester City, along with the local rugby club, Salford Red Devils. Representatives from these teams attended the event, adding a new twist to the traditional \"Manchester Derby.\" ⚽🏉
