Festival dates and other details have not yet been established for 2026. Please email “info@nanaimodragonboat.ca” to add your name to our mailing list, and we’ll send info once details have been confirmed.
Accommodations and Promotions | Volunteers | Site Map | Paddlers’ Village | Parking | Festival Cancellation/Refund Policy
On behalf of Nanaimo Paddling Centre, we welcome you to the 2026 Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival. We look forward to having you attend this annual event, the 23nd anniversary of the Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival!
We want to thank the City of Nanaimo and the Province of British Columbia for their support for dragon boat racing on Vancouver Island.
The Nanaimo festival is an important fundraiser for the BC Cancer Foundation and the Nanaimo Hospital Foundation. Thank you to all teams, paddlers, supporters and spectators participating in the Carnation Ceremony, proceeds of which go to the Nanaimo Hospital Foundation. In addition, our 2023 beer garden host, Wolf Brewery and Fairway Markets Nanaimo will be contributing to the Nanaimo Hospital Foundation as part of the Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival’s activities. Thank you!
Location: Nanaimo, BC, Canada – Nanaimo Harbour, Maffeo Sutton Park
Volunteers
We’re looking for people to do something great and volunteer at the Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival. Not only will you be helping to facilitate one of the island’s signature summer festivals, you’ll be an invaluable part of a summer event featuring athletes and spectators, beer gardens, music and more.
To become one of our valued volunteers, click here for more information and to sign up.
Site Map
Paddlers’ Village
Smoking and/or pets are not allowed within the Paddlers’ Village (guide dogs for the disabled or visually impaired ARE permitted). Please protect your belongings; the festival is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
Tents are available by pre-order at a rate of $100 (including staff set up and take down). Teams can bring their own tents if they want to avoid this cost.
Teams are not permitted to modify FGPC-owned tents in any way that permanently affects or damages their functionality. These tents are provided as a courtesy and are owned and maintained by FGPC, a non-profit society; please treat these tents with care.
**Note: For security and liability, only rostered participants (paddlers and non-paddlers) are permitted in the Paddlers Village. If you are travelling with children or companions please make prior arrangements for their supervision. FGPC and the Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival and associated volunteers and security personnel are not responsible for the loss, damage or theft of personal belongings.**
Parking
There is a designated drop-off area on the race site for teams to drop off equipment, team members. There is NO available parking on site for race participants. See map below for parking options.
Parking on all levels of the Bastion Street Parkade is free during evenings and on weekends without time limits.
This Bastion Street Parkade initiative is in addition to the free 2-hour street parking that was designated in October on Commercial Street (south of Wharf St.), Front Street, Chapel Street, Church Street, Bastion Street, Anchor Way and Cameron Road. Street parking downtown is free evenings after 5 p.m. and all day on weekends.
Accommodations
Coast Bastion Hotel
- 15 Coast King rooms at a rate of $269 per night.
- Nelly Ele – n.ele@coasthotels.com
The Grand Hotel
- 5 Club Queen Rooms at $215 + tax
- 8 Deluxe Rooms at $225 + tax
- 6 Club Deluxe Rooms at $235 + tax
- Contact: Humam Al-tekreeti humam@thegrandhotelnanaimo.ca
Dorchester Best Western
- Guest rooms with 2 double beds $229 plus taxes
- Guest rooms with 1 bed $209 plus taxes
The Best Western Dorchester Hotel is conveniently located right downtown near the bustling Nanaimo Harbour offering excellent views, in-room amenities, including a Keurig K Cup coffee maker with complimentary coffee and teas, minifridge.
We also offer pet friendly accommodations for travellers with pets in our designated pet-friendly rooms.
Including free high-speed Wi-Fi, complimentary parking, a well-equipped fitness centre.
We have 3 different restaurants on-site : Breakfast is open 9am to 10:30am at Top Notch Burger in the lobby. And also Gourmet burgers, wings, and casual eats in a lively lounge environment. Big screen TVs showing sports and a full bar with seating available. If you feel like dining at the view The View Oceanside Grill Casual fine dining restaurant overlooking the downtown waterfront offering upscale local seafood, meat, and pasta dishes. Embers Wine & Charcuterie here on Site for you Romantic, low-lit cellar offering artisan cheese, cured meats, and local seafood with an incredible selection of wines and handcrafted cocktails.
Contact: Pelin Polat – sales@dorchesternanaimo.com
Promotions
The Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival is pleased to offer paddlers coming from downtown Vancouver to Nanaimo significant savings with Hullo ferries.
20% across all fares and service levels – excludes parking and extra services.
Hullo is BC’s new passenger-only fast ferry service connecting you, downtown Vancouver to Nanaimo in only 70 minutes. With up to 14 daily sailings, super convenient downtown locations, and high-comfort modern vessels, we’ll have you traveling with ease. www.hullo.com
- Discount: 20% off regular fare sailings, offer extends across all fare types and service levels, excluding applicable taxes, mandatory fees, and optional services (e.g. luggage).
- Paddlers can use the promotional code “NANDRAGON” which will be live for travel between July 9-15, 2025
- Group Bookings groupbookings@vifc.ca can support any group/team 10+.
Vendors
The festival will feature a wide variety of vendors including food truck, retail, and informational vendors. Click here to apply to be a vendor at this festival.
Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival Partners
Presented By
Gold Partners
Bronze Partners
Island Series
Silver Partners
Friends of the Festival
- Berwick on the Lake
- Precise Auto Repairs
- Nanaimo Downtown Business Association
- Old City Quarter Association
- WoodGrove Mall
- Steve Marshall Ford Lincoln
- Tourism Nanaimo
- Farm House Poultry
- Gordon Food Service
- Dempster Bread
- Eugenes Foods
- Continental meats
- Coca Cola
Festival Cancellation/Refund Policy
There will be 25% administrative fee for all withdrawals. The final date to withdraw a team from the festival is June 21, 2025. There will be no refunds of any type after this date, including if the festival is cancelled due to safety reasons.