Charleston magazine Society blog

The inaugural Charleston Dragon Boat Festival breathed fire on the water at Brittlebank Park, Saturday, May 3rd. Forty-eight corporate and community teams, including Piggly Wiggly, The US Coast Guard, and the South Carolina Port Authority, paddled 250 meters down the Ashley River in 41-foot-long dragon boat canoes competing for the Grand Champion title and other great prizes.
 

If you were a spectator, there was a lot to do on shore including a traditional Lion dance and dotting of the eye ceremony, and a kids’ area that consisted of a moon walk, temporary tattoos, and balloon animals. The athlete’s village was the place to be for paddlers to refuel and to just hang out and bond (and not talk about work).
 

All of the teams seemed really enthusiastic and wanted to win.  I spoke with Charleston Dragon Boat veteran Joyce Raspberry, who said “It is a great opportunity to learn how to work as a team and to see what part you played in its success.”
 

It was a long day of paddling and team building.  Free massages were on hand to relieve those aching muscles.   
 

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