Updated 08/09/2009 05:46 PM
Dragon Boats Hit The Water In Queens
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Nearly 2,000 people from around the world gathered in Flushing Meadows Park Sunday for the 19th Annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival.
Dragon Boat racing is an ancient Chinese tradition that dates back 2,000 thousand years.
"A very well-known scholar and high court officer named Qu Yuan was very fed up with the new king's failed policies. So he drowned himself in the river in order to protest the failed policies. Since he was so well liked all the villagers raced out to try to save him. They couldn't save him but every year they reenact it and that became dragon boat racing," said Dragon Boat Festival Chairman Henry Wan.
Organizers say a total of 154 teams competed this year for a cash prize and airline tickets to Hong Kong.