Bradford Dragon Boat Festival 2026

The Bradford Dragon Boat Festival is a three-day event held in Roberts Park, Saltaire, organised by Race The Dragon Ltd together with the Lord Mayor's Appeal. The 2026 edition ran from Friday 3 to Sunday 5 July and marked the festival's eleventh anniversary. Friday is the Youth Championships for schools, colleges and youth organisations, Saturday is the Lord Mayor's Championship for teams from the Bradford region, and Sunday is the Multi-Charity Championship open to companies, sports clubs and social clubs. Racing is over a 200-metre course that starts beyond the cricket pavilion and finishes in front of the crowds in Roberts Park, with a maximum of 16 paddlers plus a drummer per boat. Participant check-in opens at 08:30 and each team is guaranteed at least three timed races, with the single fastest time counting for Grand Final qualification.