KEELUNG (TVBS News) — Taiwan's northern port city of Keelung is shifting its annual Dragon Boat Festival races to a dramatic new setting within the city's commercial harbor. Officials announced the May 31 event will move from its traditional location at Badouzi Fishing Port (八斗子漁港) to the more central Keelung Port (基隆港). Registration opens Wednesday (April 23) for teams competing for the top prize of NT$50,000 (approximately US$1,538).
The Keelung City Government's Department of Education (基隆市政府教育處) revealed that Taiwan International Ports Corporation's Keelung Branch (台灣港務股份有限公司基隆港務分公司), the state-owned harbor management entity, will coordinate vessel traffic during the races. Harbor officials will establish a dedicated 200-meter racecourse stretching from Pier East 1 to East 2 within the working port, creating an unusual racing venue that has already generated excitement among potential competitors.
Organizers have structured this year's competition into three distinct categories: an open men's division accommodating 18 teams, an open women's division with 16 slots, and a government agencies division also limited to 16 teams. Officials anticipate filling all 50 available team positions before the May 2 registration deadline. Keelung Mayor George Hsieh (謝國樑) highlighted the event's strategic importance, emphasizing its dual purpose of showcasing the city's distinctive maritime heritage while attracting visitors to the port city.
The upcoming races mark Keelung's return to hosting dragon boat competitions in its main harbor after nearly eight years. The city last held such an event in October 2017, when it organized the "International Dragon Boat Invitational and Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat Race" (國際龍舟邀請賽暨國際乳腺癌友龍舟賽). This year's festival aims to revitalize this tradition while celebrating Keelung's deep-rooted maritime culture in a setting that offers novel perspectives for both participants and spectators. ★
