PKSCA
About PKSCA
Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association promotes people to people exchanges of educational, artistic, and cultural activities. PKSCA maintains several programs that focus on and support our mission. These include the annual Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race, participation in the Portland Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade, and Starlight Parade, annual good will delegation exchanges between Portland and Kaohsiung, and support of Portland Chinese organizations and programs.
Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation - EIN: 93-1018684
Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race
South Hawthorne Waterfront Park, Portland, OR, June 8-9th – The Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association (PKSCA) presents the Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat race annually the 2nd weekend of June. The race is June 8-9th, 2024 and is free and open to the public. This race involves around 50 teams, in 3 divisions Women’s, Mixed, and Open, racing in the incredibly special traditional-style Dragon Boats from Taiwan. Each race has 4 teams compete by sprinting 500m down the Willamette River ending at the bowl in the South Hawthorne Waterfront Park where their flag catcher reaches out from the dragon’s head to capture their flag. Saturday’s heats define the playoff bracket, and Sunday is when they compete for their medals. The opening ceremony is Saturday, 8 am June 8th. Races run from 8:00 am till around 4 pm Saturday and Sunday. The awards ceremony takes place around 3:30 on Sunday June 9th. Come enjoy Race weekend with us, there will be food and retail vendors, and many exciting races for all to enjoy on the waterfront at 1403 S Harbor Way, Portland, OR 97201. The event is free and open to the public.
The first Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race was put on by the PKSCA in June of 1989, 34 years ago. The race attracts teams from the Pacific Northwest and around the world. The traditional-style boats are unique and incredibly special. Each of the 8 boats is just over 40’ long with a colorful dragon head molded in fiberglass on the front and a tail in the back. During a race each boat has a caller, a drummer, 20 paddlers, a flag catcher, and a tiller. The race ends after a 500 meter dash when the flag catcher climbs the dragon head and reaches out to capture the flag. Each team has its own culture and story, made up of people 14 and up, from all walks of life drawn together by their love for Dragon Boat racing. This year we are introducing an Open Division, with no gender restrictions. It is a rare sport where everyone is seen and treated as equals, and where there is access for so many. Dragon boating is for everyone, every age, every ability, every body
PKSCA Programs
PKSCA offers several programs in addition to the Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race.