The annual COSMIC Dragon Boat Race will return to the Regent’s Canal for its sixteenth year. The first starting pistol will sound at 17:00 on Thursday 27th July at St. Mary’s Bridge where traditional Chinese Dragon Boats will race for 100 metres until the finish line at Paddington Basin.
In partnership with Merchant Square and COSMIC, people from all over the area will come together for this friendly competition to help raise money for the local Children of St Mary’s Intensive Care (COSMIC) charity. The much needed funds will go towards helping support the families of children being treated on the ward.
The sport itself has a 2,000 year old Chinese legacy, with each boat holding 16 rowers and 1 drummer to help the crew maintain their rhythm. With prizes including ‘Best Dressed’ and ‘Fastest Team’, it’s a great day out for all the family to watch and cheer on all the volunteers taking part – many in fancy dress.
In addition, the popular Rubber Duck Race will also be taking place on the same day. With an earlier start time of 12:00 over 1000 rubber ducks will be launched onto the Regent’s Canal at St. Mary’s Bridge where they will bob 100 metres to the finish line by the Paddington Water Taxi launch point.
This is the 16th year the annual Duck Race will be held, again to raise much needed funds for the COSMIC charity through sponsorship – spectators can sponsor a duck for £3 by visiting the COSMIC Just Giving page here.
Prizes up for grabs include a pair of Eurostar tickets to a destination of your choice and a pair of one day entry passes to a Disney Park of your choosing.
Dragon Boat Regatta
Thursday 27th July 2023
17:00 – 21:00
Tickets: spectating is ticketless and free, just turn up and grab a spot along the canal.
Rubber Duck Race
Thursday 27th July 2023
12:00 – 13:00
Tickets: Spectating is ticketless and free, just turn up and grab a spot along the canal
Sponsorship: to sponsor a duck and enter it into the race is £3 per rubber duck, click here.
Price
Both events are free and ticketless to spectate. Sponsorship of the Dragon Boat teams and Rubber Ducks is encouraged to add an additional element of fun to the experience and all for a good cause.
Lynsey Carrington, Acting Chief Executive for Cosmic says: “We are hoping to raise over £45,000 from the Dragon Boat Race and Rubber Duck Race in 2023 which will help us to support the families of the babies and children on our intensive care units, as well as the NHS staff that look after them. These much needed funds allow us to offer support to families going through an incredibly difficult time with advice, counselling and parent’s accommodation, purchase equipment for the units, provide training for the staff in specialist areas and fund research into life-threatening diseases. We are hugely grateful to all of the corporate teams fundraising for us and taking part in the Dragon Boat Race and to everyone who has sponsored a duck!”
Where:
Located at Paddington Basin, visitors on 27th July can enjoy live music the Fat Brass band, pop up outdoor bars and street food.
Merchant Square is also home to some great free gigs, screenings and activities throughout the summer. More information can be found about what’s on at http://merchantsquare.co.uk/whats-on/.
