Registration | Volunteers | Site Map | Paddlers’ Village | Festival Cancellation/Refund Policy | 2024 Results
Location: Nanaimo, BC, Canada – Nanaimo Harbour, Maffeo Sutton Park
July 12 and 13, 2025
Registration Fees
This weekend of 500 M racing includes Women’s and Mixed categories. Everyone is guaranteed 4 races, weather permitting.
- Early Bird (until April 15, 2025): $1500 including GST
- Early Bird (until April 15, 2025) for Breast Cancer Survivor crews: $1125 including GST
- Regular (after April 15, 2025): $1800 including GST
- Regular (after April 15, 2025) for Breast Cancer Survivor crews: $1350 including GST
On behalf of Fairway Gorge Paddling Club, we want to welcome you to the 2025 Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival. We look forward to having you attend this annual event, the 22nd anniversary of the Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival!
There is a mixed division and a women’s division. Everyone is guaranteed 4 500M races, weather permitting. Note that the system for advancements is based on placement and time.
There is a set of 2 Breast Cancer Survivor’s Challenge Races as well as awards for top Survivor Challenge finishers overall.
This year we are happy to include both women’s and mixed Guts & Glory Challenges. Crews will begin the course in 15 second intervals. Overlap rules apply and time credits and penalties (and full disqualifications for penalties in excess of 10 seconds) will be enforced by water marshals. The fastest adjusted times in the mixed and women’s’ divisions win the Challenge!
Volunteers
We’re looking for people to do something great and volunteer at the South Island 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.**
Food 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.
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.