Paducah Dragon Boat Festival’s Return Draws Thousands
More than 5,600 people visited the Paducah, Ky., riverfront September 6 to cheer on 11 teams of paddlers in narrow, 40-foot-long boats surmounted by the heads of mythical Asian dragons.
The Paducah Dragon Boat Festival is a main fundraiser for Paducah’s River Discovery Center. This year’s top sponsors were James Marine Inc., Ingram Barge Line and Marquette Transportation Company. The 2025 competition marked the 10th anniversary of the festival, which returned for the first time since 2021.
Teams of 16 people, and one drummer per boat, squared off in three, three-boat heats throughout the day, rowing a course set out on the Ohio River in front of the riverfront stage. The overall championship trophy went to Mercy Health’s “Blazin’ Paddles” team. Independence Bank’s “Rebel Rowers” placed second, and James Marine Inc.’s “Dry Dock Dynasty” finished third.
Proceeds from the festival support the River Discovery Center’s educational programs, field trips and the development of interactive exhibits that connect students and families to history, the river industry and its careers, River Discovery Center Executive Director Lindsey Launius said.
The festival also served as the last major event for outgoing Executive Director Julie Harris, who is retiring. Harris brought the event back to Paducah when she returned as interim director last year.
“The Dragon Boat Festival has always been about more than the races,” Harriss aid. “It’s about bringing the community together on the riverfront. It was wonderful to see it return this year, and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to close out my time as interim executive director. I’m grateful to know I’ll still be connected in an advisory role on the board, and I look forward to seeing how the event continues to grow.”
————
Featured photo caption: The “Row of Ages” team from Ingram Barge Company (boat 1), “Boats and Rows” from Cook Coal Terminal (boat 2) and “Marquette Warriors” (boat 3) compete in one of the heats at the Paducah Dragon Boat Festival September 6 on the Ohio River in Paducah, Ky. The event is a major fundraiser for the River Discovery Center in Paducah. (Photo by Shelley Byrne)
