WA 2023 Dragon Boat Festival at Freo’s Fishing Boat Harbour

The Western Australian Dragon Boat Festival returned to Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour on Sunday 26 February 2023.

The harbour was thronged with spectators. What an un-miss-able free family friendly event it was!

In a world first, WA’s very own James Webb and Wadumbah Dance Group performed three fantastic dances specially created for the festival, including the mesmerising Emu Dance. Two cultures met when the Wadumbah Dance Group welcomed the Dragon into the harbour.

With the Fishing Boat Harbour as a back drop, the festival was a spectacular celebration of world class dragon boat athletes led by Dragon Boating WA in an atmosphere of pageantry and colour, high octane energy and centuries old Chinese culture and tradition.

The air was abuzz with excitement and electrifying performances by highly skilled Dragon and Lion Dancers, led by 7th Generation Pak Mei Master Ken Wu from the Cheung Bing Lam lineage, who mesmerized and dazzled with their artistry!

The exciting Dragon Boat match races could be viewed from the harbour’s boardwalks and jetties. Four Dragon Boats powered through the waters to exciting finishes to the beat of a drum.

At nearby Bathers Beach the skies were full of stunning kite creations, including a three-metre whale – the work of world-renowned kite sculptor Michael Alvares from Kite Kinetics. As Michael demonstrated his kite flying techniques a container ship motored into the Inner Harbour.

Credit Deanna Shanahan

Don’t you just love Freo!

* STORY and photographs except where indicated by our Shipping Correspondent, Jean Hudson @jeansodyssey. Jean is also a regular feature writer and photographer here on the Shipping News. You may like to follow up her informative Places I Love stories, as well as other feature stories and Freo Today photographs, right here.

WHILE YOU’RE HERE –