BeijingJune 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The opening ceremony of the 2026 Qu Yuan Hometown Dragon Boat Festival Cultural Festival and the National Dragon Boat Grand Linkage (Yichang Station) officially kicked off on Friday, June 19, in Yichang City, Hubei Province.
Yichang is the hometown of Qu Yuan, and this year’s series of celebrations also center on commemorating this great patriotic poet. The opening ceremony began with a song and dance performance titled “Ode to Qu Yuan,” featuring melodious singing paired with elegant dance moves, vividly interpreting Qu Yuan’s immortal spirit and instantly immersing the audience in a strong Dragon Boat Festival atmosphere.
On stage, a performance blending music, dance, poetry, and painting unfolded gradually, depicting the magnificent scene of hundreds of boats racing on the river. After the traditional dragon boat eye-dotting ceremony, the energetic song and dance “Dragon Boat Race” ignited the entire venue; the resounding and stirring drumbeats outlined the grand spectacle of dragon boats competing on the rivers and lakes.
The excitement extended from the stage to the river surface. The National Dragon Boat Grand Linkage (Yichang Station) kicked off simultaneously, with the Yangtze River Three Gorges University Student Dragon Boat Open and the Yichang City Dragon Boat League competing in succession. Dragon boats surged forward one after another, paddles rising and falling in unison, with cheers and thunderous drumbeats echoing along the riverbanks.
In addition to the opening ceremony and dragon boat races, this year’s Qu Yuan Hometown Dragon Boat Festival Cultural Festival features a rich and diverse array of activities. The Zigui Dragon Boat Festival Poetry Gathering and the “I Celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival in Yichang” series of special cultural events will be held in succession, allowing the entire city to immerse itself in authentic Dragon Boat Festival folk customs and carry forward Qu Yuan’s patriotic spirit.
For thousands of years, Qu Yuan’s culture has been deeply rooted in the land of Yichang. To this day, traditional customs such as dragon boat racing and poetry recitation continue to be revitalized, bringing the profound and splendid cultural heritage out of the annals of history, thriving and flowing vividly along the banks of the Yangtze River.