The Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival returns next year and entries are now officially open!
So it’s paddles at the ready for the 2022 Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival, which will take place at Peterborough Rowing Club on Saturday June 11.
ESP is proud to have partnered with NewWave Events to see the return of this fabulous race and family day out which will raise vital funds for Sure Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice. If you want something to look forward to, to rebuild team spirit, mark a special occasion or just to try something new this is an event to get your name down for.
After the closure of Gable Events, the new festival organisers, NewWave Events, are bringing the event back to Peterborough. They are hoping to top the previous years’ record-breaking festival, which saw 48 teams take part and raise more than £35,000 for the title charity, Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice.
In what will be the 22nd festival, teams of up to 11 people will take to the water to battle it out in 30-foot dragon boats. Each boat will have its own drummer at the front beating out time. As well as the races, which are expected to be watched by several thousand spectators, there will be plenty of bankside entertainment and stalls for all the family.
Alicja Mierzejewska, Executive Director at NewWave Events, said: “We are thrilled to be able to carry on the legacy of the festival and we are excited to bring new and fresh ideas in the years to come. Lucy and I didn’t hesitate at all with a decision of starting NewWave Events. Being involved with planning this festival previously, we knew it was and is an important event for the participants, charity, and local community, so we started planning as soon as possible.
“When Gable Events closed it was certainly an end of an era, but we are optimistic for the future, and we are here to bring everyone back together again after what’s been a difficult time for everyone. Our dragons are ready and waiting, so see you all in 2022 for a great day of fundraising and teambuilding!”
Lucy Morton, Executive Director at NewWave Events, said: “The Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival is definitely one of my favourite events and I am so glad we can now bring this back to the city once again. To be able to continue the partnership with Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice for 2022 is just the icing on the cake for the come-back of this event. We are all systems go now at NewWave with the preparations and cannot wait to welcome teams and spectators back for the 22nd year!”
The festival will once again raise vital funds for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, which is the only specialist palliative care inpatient unit in Peterborough. The hospice provides expert care and support for people living with life-limiting conditions, as well as supporting their families.
Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice is heavily reliant on fundraising activities and voluntary donations to continue providing its vital care and support across the region, which makes events like the Dragon Boat Festival even more important.
There is a great incentive for teams to raise as much sponsorship as possible – the top fundraisers will be awarded the charity trophy and receive a special escape room experience at Escape Peterborough.
Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice’s Senior Community Fundraiser, Nilesh Patel, said: “A huge thank you to everyone who took part in and was involved with the 2019 festival, which raised more than £35,000 for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice. We are blown away by the incredible support of our local community.
“We are thrilled the Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival is set to make a splash and return in 2022. It has been a tough 21 months for everyone since the pandemic first began. We hope people will be inspired to make waves and sign up for what promises to be a fantastic day to look forward to, filled with fun and racing!
“We are really grateful the festival will once again raise vital funds for our hospice and help us be there for more local families when it matters. At Sue Ryder, we believe that the end of someone’s life is the most important time of their life. The funds raised will help us to continue to deliver our expert and compassionate care – and fill someone’s last days with love.”
There are spaces for up to 48 crews to make a splash on the 200 metre course. Enhanced Gold and Silver entry packages are available, which include marketing benefits such as the company’s logo on each side of a dragon boat as well as a significant donation to Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice. Each team will race a minimum of three times, the dragon boats and all equipment are provided and no previous experience is needed. There will also be a host of bankside activities to entertain teams and spectators alike.
The Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival is supported by ESP Magazine www.espmag.co.uk
For more information and an entry form, call Festival organisers NewWave Events on 01536 674748 or visit https://dragonboatevents.co.uk/peterborough-dragon-boat-festival/ to enter online.