Tempe events this week – Arizona Dragon Boat Festival
Posted by: Nancy
March 18, 2013
Arizona Dragon Boat Festival
Who would have thought that dragon boat racing, with its roots in southern China as an ancient folk ritual for the past 2,000 years, would find its way to a modern, man-made lake in the middle of the Arizona desert? Since emerging in modern times as an international sport event in Hong Kong in 1976, dragon boat racing has spread throughout the world. It found its way to Tempe Town Lake ten years ago and has been going strong ever since.
The 10th Annual Arizona Dragon Boat Festival, March 23-24 will celebrate Asian culture in Tempe, Arizona with two days of dragon boat races, vendors, food booths and performances by martial artists, musicians and dancers. The beautifully decorated dragon boats are manned by teams of up to 20 paddlers. One team member pounds a drum to keep the paddlers’ oars in sync; the drum represents the heart of the dragon.
Here’s a sample of the huge variety of events going on in Tempe this week. View a complete listing of Tempe events, or call 480-894-8158 for more information.
- March 19: Open Jam, Rula Bula Irish Pub
- March 19: Vicki McDermitt Trio: Vicki McDermitt, Dwight Kilian, Todd Johnson, Mad Hatter Brew Pub
- March 19: Performance with a View: ASU Guitar Ensembles; March 19: Brubeck Brothers Quartet: Dave Brubeck Tribute, Tempe Center for the Arts
- March 20: Walk-in Wednesdays Open Mic Night, Tempe Center for the Arts
- March 20: David Bernstein; March 21: Colin Barley, Studio Vino
- March 21: Third Thursday on Mill: Black Carl and Opening Act Video Challenge, Hayden Flour Mill
- March 21: Tim Hawley, Rula Bula Irish Pub
- March 21-May 30: Outliars Comedy Club, Robby Fox’s Public House
- March 22: ASU School of Music Guitar Series: Celso Machado, ASU Katzin Concert Hall
- March 22: Tempe Comedy Concert Series: Improv Night at TCA; March 23: Dominick Farinacci Quartet, Tempe Center for the Arts
- March 22: Keltic Cowboys; March 23: Jeff Hunt Band, Rula Bula Irish Pub
- March 22: Steph King ; March 23: Rex Williams, Top of the Rocks
- March 22: Traveler Featuring Scott Jeffers; March 23: Eclipses For Eyes, Tempe Marketplace District Stage
- March 22: Ariana Loraine; March 23: Michael V., Tempe Marketplace Barnes & Noble Fountain
- March 23: Stu Siefert Combo, Robbie Fox’s Public House
- March 23: Agave on the Rocks, Desert Botanical Garden
- March 23: Tempe Kiwanis Nuevo’s 9th Annual Catch A Wave Car Show: Celebrating Arizona’s Classic Cars, Kiwanis Community Park
- March 23: Rhythmic Variations, ASU Evelyn Smith Music Theatre
- March 23-24: 2013 Arizona Dragon Boat Festival, TempeTown Lake
- March 24: Catalin Rotaru and Andres Martin with ASU Students, ASU Katzin Concert Hall
