The Rotary Club of Peachtree City hosted its 15th Annual Dragon Boat Festival in September on beautiful Lake Peachtree/Drake Field. This year’s event was the biggest fundraiser in its history with all proceeds going back into the community through grants for the Rotary year starting July 1, 2023.  This year’s chairperson was President-Elect Amy Benton who stated, “The event is a total team effort with all of our members participating in some way throughout the weekend and over the months leading up to the event.  This is not only our club’s signature fundraiser, but also a tremendous community event with over 4,000 people attending each year.”

This year’s event had 10+ food vendors including the special treat of our Rotary Community Corps members who are using their proceeds to support their initiative to provide a service dog to a local community member.  There were over 30 artisan vendors.  And, most importantly, 48 teams competing.  The competition consists of Mixed 50%, Women 50%, Women All Ages, Mixed All Ages and Open All Ages divisions.  There are special exhibition races throughout the day to highlight our corporate sponsors – to win the coveted Corporate Cup, a Breast Cancer Survivor’s Flower Ceremony where all participants in the boat are breast cancer survivors and also races for our Paradragon 2 Teams – which are made up of differently-abled adults and their friends.

Our special event this year was that for the first time ever we had a Paradragon 3 team which is made of up of an entire team of members with the same disability – in this case, all were leg amputees!  Not only did this team compete all day with other divisions, they made it to the finals where they placed fourth overall for the competition!  We are looking forward to helping them continue their Dragon Boat journey in the coming year!

This event continues to grow each year and truly does show that this sport is the MOST inclusive in the world!  Make plans to join us next year – 4th Saturday in September – as we continue to celebrate Dragon Boats, Inclusivity and Community!