For safety reasons, Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival committee has secured approval from the City of Peterborough to close Crescent Street from George St. to Haggart St. on Festival day, Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The streets affected are:
- George St. Entrance to Del Crary Park Marina.
- Perry St. from the east side of George St. to the west side of Crescent St.
- Lake St. from the east side of George St. to the west side of Crescent St.
- Lock St. from the north side of Romaine St. to the south side of Crescent St.
- Romaine Street from the east side of Lock St. to the west side of Crescent St.
- Crescent St. from the south side of Perry St. to the east limit.
- Winch St. from the south side of Crescent St. to the north side of Ware St.
- Haggart St. from the south side of Crescent St. to the north side of Ware St.
Emergency “No parking” signs will be placed on both sides of Lock St. from Romaine St. to Ware St.
- Regular calendar parking will continue on all other streets outside the road closure limits.
- City parking enforcement will be monitoring the area to ensure compliance and maintain traffic flow.
Alternate transportation:
– A shuttle bus courtesy of Hamilton Bus Lines, will be running between 7AM and 5PM. Please visit the website Event pages for details.
– B!ke Peterborough will be providing FREE supervised bicycle parking.
The entire Peterborough community is welcome to attend the Festival as we celebrate our 25 year anniversary. We invite you to enjoy a great day by the water at Del Crary Park, cheering on the paddlers and taking in the day’s events. Below is the event schedule (times are subject to change). Please visit www.ptbodragonboat.ca for more details.
(Please note times are subject to change)
7:00 AM – Road closures in effect, barricades close – Shuttle bus to parking areas begins running (see website for details)
8:00 AM – Awakening the Dragon/Opening Ceremonies
8:30 AM – First Race Heats begin
9:00 AM – Vendors Village Market opens with food and artisan vendors brought to us by the Modern Makers Market.
9:00 AM – Family Fun Zone opens offering activities to keep “kids” of all ages entertained.
10:50 AM – McKenzie Cup Race followed by the Survivor Flower Ceremony
11:00 AM – The traditional flower ceremony where the community comes together to honour those who have lost their lives to breast cancer, those currently undergoing treatment, and those in recovery.
11:00 AM – The Thirsty Dragon Beer Garden opens
12:30 PM – Second Race Heats begin
3:00 PM – Silent Auction closes
3:10 PM – Divisional Finals begin
3:50 PM – Final Race – Community Division Championship, Presented by Kawartha Credit Union
4:00 PM – Cash and Quilt raffle winners announced (near the bleachers)
4:15 PM – Awards ceremony at the bleachers
4:30 PM – Last shuttle bus leaves Del Crary Park
5:00 PM – Vendors Village Closes
6:00 PM – The Thirsty Dragon Beer Garden closes
Festival organizers wish to thank the residents nearby for their ongoing support and cooperation and salute the entire community for making this vital fundraiser for the PRHC Foundation so successful each year.
Planning for the 2026 Festival is well underway and registration will open Wednesday, February 25th at 12:01 AM. The first 3 teams to register will win a complimentary dragon boat lake practice.
This year’s event will mark its 25th anniversary and will take place on Saturday June 13th, 2026 at Del Crary Park. The Festival will once again feature Dragon Boat Races, Artisan and Food Vendors, a Family Fun Zone, Beer Garden and much more!
“The planning committee has already kicked off the season” said Michelle Thornton, Festival Chair “and we’ve been brainstorming ways to commemorate our 25th anniversary this coming June. For starters, we’ve increased last year’s goal by 25% and we challenge everyone to do the same. Our goal for 2026 is to raise $325, 018.01 for the PRHC Foundation” said Thornton “and as always, it’s a meaningful one. As previously noted, to mark our 25th anniversary, we have increased last year’s goal by 25%. Coincidently, that comes to $325k, which is representative of the 2 out of 5 Canadians who will be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime. As always, we want to raise awareness about breast cancer, so the 18 is for the 1 in 8 women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and the .01 is the percentage of men who will also face a breast cancer diagnosis”.
“But most importantly, what’s raised here, stays here”, Thornton added, “We all know someone who has been affected by cancer and by paddling together, we can make a lasting impact on the lives of family, friends and neighbours in our region, who are facing this rotten disease”.
The event continues to break records year after year, donating an astounding $400,104.01 last year, bringing their overall total donated to the PRHC Foundation to more than 4.9 million dollars.
Hosted by Survivors Abreast Peterborough Dragon Boat Team, Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival has been a community staple event since 2001 when it introduced dragon boat races on Little Lake as part of the “Liberty Mutual Day on the Water” event. The following year, Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival came to life and since then, has become a favourite community event to kick off the summer season.
Survivors Abreast team President, Janice James said they are proud of the outstanding community work the team has done since its inception in 1999. “We’ve always focused on breast cancer awareness and raising funds for the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC). We know first hand the importance of the work the Peterborough Regional Health Centre Foundation (PRHCF) does, and their continuing mission to bring the best cancer care the world has to offer, right here to our hospital.”
“Congratulations to Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival! What an achievement it is to be celebrating 25 years of paddling on Little Lake in support of cancer care at Peterborough Regional Health Centre. The Festival is an absolutely remarkable testament to what a community can achieve when we all come together for a cause that touches so many lives,” said Lesley Heighway, President & CEO of the PRHC Foundation. “We are so grateful to every single organizer, paddler, donor, sponsor, volunteer, and member of the Survivors Abreast team who pour their energy, passion and generosity into this wonderful event year after year. Because of your hard work and dedication, the Festival raises vital funds that directly support
cancer care patients from across our region at PRHC. Our team is looking forward to Festival day and we can’t wait to be together with all of you again in June!”
All pledges support the cause which means the Festival relies on the generosity of local businesses and organizations to cover expenses and provide the best experience possible for participants. These sponsors are committed to community involvement and the importance of giving back, and organizers are thrilled that Kawartha Credit Union will also celebrate their 25th anniversary as the event’s Presenting Platinum Sponsor.
“At Kawartha Financial Services, our commitment to the well‑being of our community runs deep, and we are honoured to be the Presenting Sponsor of Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival for the 25th consecutive year—especially as we celebrate the festival’s remarkable 25th anniversary,” said Norah McCarthy, President of Kawartha Financial Services (formerly Kawartha Credit Union). “This milestone reflects a shared legacy of compassion, community spirit, and support for local healthcare, and we are proud to continue standing alongside the many teams, volunteers, and partners who make this event such an enduring force for good.”
For more information, please contact:
Michelle Thornton: 705-930-7635 or michellethornton.365@gmail.com
Participants and supporters are encouraged to engage with the Festival on Facebook and Instagram @ptbodragonboat
For more information, please contact:
Michelle Thornton
Chair – Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival
705-930-7635 or info@ptbodragonboat.ca
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