WHAT: 12thAnnual Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, the region's largest celebration of pan-Asian culture
WHEN: Saturday and Sunday, July 28-29, 2012
WHERE: Sloan's Lake Park, 25thAve. & Sheridan Blvd, Denver
HOW MUCH: FREE admission!
CONTACT: media@cdbf.org, Erin Yoshimura 303-953-7277 (high-res photos available upon request)
FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://www.cdbf.org
The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival celebrates its 12thyear on July 28 and 29, 2012 at Sloan's Lake Park
in Denver. CDBF is the largest pan-Asian festival between the Midwest and West Coast and is the
premiere summertime family event in the region, attracting over 100,000 guests every year. There will be
traditional and cultural performances, educational exhibits and demonstrations on the Main Stage,
Gateway to Asia area and Cultural Unity hip-hop showcase, as well as fun shopping and authentic dining
at the Asian Marketplace and Taste of Asia Food Court. And of course, there will be two days of actionpacked dragon boat racing!
This is not only our 12thyear and our first full cycle of the Chinese Zodiac this is also the Year of the
Dragon, or the Water Dragon, to be exact. It's an auspicious sign that CDBF 2012 will be the best yet!
What's new and back by demand in 2012?
More Dragon Boat Races
We've already filled the rosters for the weekend of athletic competition, with teams traveling from as far
away as Austin, Texas, Portland, Oregon (Blind Ambition, a team of blind paddlers) and Dubuque Iowa to
compete against our homegrown corporate and non-profit organizations' teams. We'll once again have
both Hong Kong style competitive racing matches as well as the fun Flag Catcher style of boats for
festival visitors to cheer on.
More food, at TWO Taste of Asia dining areas
Each year, our Taste of Asia food court is a popular stop for festival-goers who want to eat their way
across Asia without ever leaving Denver. This year, in a redesign of the festival grounds at Sloan's Lake
Park, we've created space for two separate Taste of Asia dining areas so people can have more choices
and fewer lines to experience the authentic cuisines of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, India, Vietnam, Japan,
China and many more mouth-watering destinations.
Bands on the Run
Over the years, our Main Performing Arts Stage has attracted an increasing number of applications from
local bands who want to perform that include Asian American musicians. These bands might play
traditional music from their ethnic heritage, but they also play blues, folk, bluegrass, fun, R&B you
name it. We've featured a few on the Main Stage, but didn't have room for everybody in the past. So this
year we've put out a call for more bands to apply, and booked them on their own Band Stage. Come see
the range of music that Asians are into!
First-ever Dragon Run/Walkew this year, we're introducing a 5K run/walk around Sloan's Lake as part of our Wellness Village,
which features health screenings from area providers. This year we've also moved the popular Find Zen
demonstration area to the Wellness Village to complement the health theme. Find Zen was launched
several years ago to showcase some of the many ways that traditional Asian cultures promote healthy
lifestyles and relieve stress, such as meditation and tai chi. What better fit for Zen than Wellness?
Japanese Obon Dance
Obon, or Bon Odori, Dancing is like line dancing but in a circle. Obon dances are Japanese folk dances
performed at festivals as a tribute to ancestors and cultural traditions. In areas like Southern California,
there are Obon Dances held nearly every weekend during the summer. Denver has had an Obon Dance
every summer during the Cherry Blossom Festival which attracts Japanese and non-Japanese who want
to learn the dances by following the movements of the Denver Buddhist Temple's Minyo Kai dance troupe
at the center of the circle. Last year CDBF introduced a second Obon Dance, which was led by the Minyo
Kai group. We're thrilled to announce that the Obon Dance returns for 2012 to close the performances on
Saturday, July 28.
Gateway to Asia
Gateway to Asia features more intimate performances and demonstrations than are possible to include
on the Main Stage. Audience members can get up close and personal with performers. Gateway to Asia
also showcases interactive educational exhibits, which focus on specific Asian Pacific communities.
Representatives in traditional clothing introduce you to their culture and history, and explain the arts and
artifacts on display. For 2012, visitors can learn about the culture and traditions of mainland China and
Vietnam.
Martial Arts Stage
Gateway to Asia has featured martial arts performances over the years, but this year there will be a stage
dedicated fulltime to martial arts of all the many Asian traditions, in the Gateway area. Come learn the
differences between Shaolin and Wu Shu kung fu, or between Aikido and Karate.
Dragonland
Since the very first Colorado Dragon Boat Festival in 2001, we've included an area for children so they
can be introduced to Asian cultures with fun activities, guided by volunteers from such organizations as
Girl Scouts and the Denver Art Museum. For 2012, CDBF is bringing back last year's very popular
feature, having Asian community leaders read the folktales and children's stories of their heritage for
eager audiences. We're also adding fun new features to Dragonland to entertain the youngsters all
weekend.
ABOUT THE COLORADO DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL
The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival was started in 2001 to celebrate Colorado's diverse Asian Pacific
American (APA) communities, and now draws over 100,000 visitors each summer. The Colorado Dragon
Boat Festival, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, has become the region's fastest growing, family-friendly
summer festival. CDBF offers festival-goers the opportunity to explore APA culture through performances,
educational programs, arts and crafts, shopping, dining and the exciting athletic competition of dragon
boat racing.
Parking will be provided at Sports Authority Field at Mile High for $5 per vehicle, and FREE shuttle
bus service all weekend to and from the festival. All visitors are asked to park at the stadium to
reduce traffic around Sloan's Lake and respect the neighborhood around the festival.
The 12th Annual Colorado Dragon Boat Festival will be held at Denver's Sloan's
Lake Park on July 28-29, 2012. It's your weekend passport to Asia and the Pacific!
www.cdbf.org | media@cdbf.org | 303-953-7277
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