Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival

Name

Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival

Legal name

Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival

Website

https://dragonboat.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Event Management

NAICS

Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)

SIC

Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)

akta.pro primary industry

Race Promoters & Event Organizers (Race Weekend Operations) (MPAKAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Championship & Cup Organizers (MPAKADAB)

Keywords

• Dragon boat racing
• Sports event management
• Community festival
• Team registration services
• Competitive racing events

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Team Registration Fees: Registration fees from dragon boat teams competing in various divisions. Fees vary by category (community, corporate, special rate) and registration timing (early bird, standard, late).
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Multi-tiered sponsorship program including title sponsor (Tim Hortons), presenting sponsor (Scotiabank), and various gold, silver, bronze, and supplier sponsorships. Includes official designations for beer, merchandise, accommodations.
3. Vendor and Exhibitor Fees: Food vendors, artisans, and exhibitors pay fees to participate at the festival grounds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival operates an annual three-day competitive dragon boat racing event at Mooney's Bay Park in Ottawa, hosting 125-200 teams across 25 Challenge Cup divisions. The organization sells team and individual paddler registrations, manages a volunteer program of 500+ contributors, and coordinates charitable fundraising through the affiliated Ottawa Dragon Boat Foundation (ODBF). It also operates as a Dragon Boat Canada Race Series Event with elite divisions like the Sue Holloway Cup.

Product overview

The Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival is a not-for-profit annual event founded in 1993, hosting one of North America's largest dragon boat festivals at Mooney's Bay Park in Ottawa. The core offering centers on competitive dragon boat racing with 200 teams competing across 25 Challenge Cup divisions spanning community, corporate, and elite competitive categories. Supporting services include team and individual registration through online systems, volunteer program management, practice session coordination at partner canoe clubs, and charitable fundraising through the Ottawa Dragon Boat Foundation's Pledge Challenge and 5050 Raffle. The festival also features spectator amenities including food vendors, merchandise (Paddle Power collection by Scimitar Sports Canada), and entertainment programming. Specialized divisions include the Sue Holloway Cup for elite athletes, Breast Cancer Paddlers Cup, Pride Challenge Cup (Canada's first 2SLGBTQ+ dragon boat division), ParaDragons Challenge Cup, All Cancer Paddlers Challenge Cup, and Panda Cup celebrating Chinese cultural heritage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival Annual three-day dragon boat racing festival at Mooney's Bay Park in Ottawa, featuring competitive racing for 125-200 teams across 25 Challenge Cup divisions, free public admission, live entertainment, food vendors, and charitable initiatives through the Ottawa Dragon Boat Foundation.
• Team Registration Online registration system for dragon boat teams of 16-20 paddlers plus drummer and steersperson to compete in various divisions including community, corporate, competitive, and special categories. Includes two free practices with certified coaches.
• Individual Paddler Registration Registration service for individuals seeking to join existing dragon boat teams or be matched with other paddlers. Includes practice sessions, equipment provision, and fundraising opportunities through ODBF Pledge Challenge.
• Volunteer Program Structured volunteer program for festival operations with positions in dock services, bar services, site operations, team staging, kitchen, green team, silent auction, and welcoming crew. Minimum commitment of 3 shifts of 4 hours required.
• Sue Holloway Cup Elite competitive division for Dragon Boat Canada registered teams competing for DBC qualifying points, named after four-time Olympian Sue Holloway, featuring Mixed, Women's, and Open divisions.
• Breast Cancer Paddlers Cup Specialized division celebrating breast cancer survivors featuring a ceremonial race and traditional Flower Ceremony on the beach, presented by Look Beyond Mastectomy Boutique.
• All Cancer Paddlers Challenge Cup Inclusive racing division for adults of all ages and genders diagnosed with any cancer, providing dragon boating opportunities regardless of disability related to cancers.
• Pride Challenge Cup Canada's first 2SLGBTQ+ dragon boat division for community members and supporters to compete in an inclusive environment.
• ParaDragons Challenge Cup Racing division for para-athletes with physical, psychological, neurological, sensory, developmental, or intellectual impairments, allowing composite teams with able-bodied crew members.
• Panda Cup Cultural racing division presented by the Embassy of the People's Republic of China, celebrating Chinese cultural heritage with teams from Ottawa's Chinese-Canadian community and diplomatic corps.
• Team Practices Dragon boat practice sessions provided at Rideau Canoe Club, Ottawa River Canoe Club, and Petrie Island Canoe Club. Two free practices with coaches included in registration; additional practices available for booking.
• ODBF Pledge Challenge Annual fundraising campaign through the Ottawa Dragon Boat Foundation supporting local charities. In 2026 supports Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa, Nutrition Blocs, Partage Vanier Food Bank, Roger Neilson Children's Hospice, and Tim Hortons Foundation Camps.
• ODBF 50/50 Raffle Charitable raffle in partnership with Senators Community Foundation, supported by Tim Hortons. Grand prize drawn during Closing Awards Ceremony with proceeds supporting local charities.
• Paddle Power Merchandise Collection Exclusive performance and lifestyle apparel collection by Scimitar Sports Canada featuring high-performance shirts, tanks, hoodies, and accessories with eco-conscious fabrics and moisture-wicking technology.
• Festival Food Vendor Program On-site food and beverage vendor program including Tim Hortons (official coffee and title sponsor), BeaverTails, Spring Chips, Domino's Pizza, Xing Fu Tang (bubble tea), DAKGOGI (Korean fried chicken), The Giant Pig Smokehouse, Elza's Gourmet (fried halloumi), and Frozen Flamingo (ice cream).

Quantifiable outcome

• 75,000+ attendees and 5,000+ paddlers annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered official dock sponsor, official sponsor, official sponsor and food vendor, official merchandise supplier, presenting sponsor, title sponsor, official dock supplier, core charitable partner, wellness partner, official accommodation partner, environmental partner, cultural partner and sport governing body.

• Concord Pacificofficial dock sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 June 2026Concord Pacific is the Official Dock Sponsor for the 2026 festival. The partnership builds on Concord Pacific's nearly 40-year history of supporting dragon boat racing through Vancouver's Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival.
• CLV Groupofficial sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 June 2026CLV Group, a property management and multi-family development company with over 50 years of experience building communities across Canada, is an Official Sponsor. CLV Group shares the festival's commitment to community building and connection.
• BeaverTailsofficial sponsor and food vendorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 June 2026BeaverTails is an Official Sponsor and Food Vendor for the 2026 festival. The iconic Canadian pastry brand, founded in Ottawa in 1978, serves its famous hand-stretched pastries throughout the festival grounds.
• Scimitar Sports Canadaofficial merchandise supplierGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 May 2026Scimitar Sports Canada is the Official Merchandise Supplier, providing the exclusive 'Paddle Power' collection of performance and lifestyle apparel for the festival.
• Scotiabankpresenting sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 December 2024Scotiabank named presenting partner of the Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival. As a leading Canadian financial institution with longstanding commitment to community initiatives, Scotiabank's partnership enhances the festival experience and supports the charitable mission of ODBF.
• Tim Hortonstitle sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 January 2016Tim Hortons is the title sponsor of the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival through a three-year agreement. Tim Hortons has been supporting the festival since 2006, first as sponsor of the Children's Area before becoming Title Sponsor. The partnership includes local store owners contributing to the community event.
• Fendockofficial dock supplierGTM or Marketing PartnerFendock has been the Official Dock Supplier for over two decades, providing the docks that serve as the launching point for every race and team at Mooney's Bay.
• Ottawa Dragon Boat Foundation (ODBF)core charitable partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerODBF is the charitable arm of the festival, raising funds through the ODBF Pledge Challenge to support local charities. The foundation coordinates the ODBF 50/50 raffle in partnership with Senators Community Foundation.
• YOGIVEwellness partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerYOGIVE provides complimentary 30-minute yoga sessions for paddlers throughout festival weekend at Paddlers Paradise, designed specifically for dragon boat athletes to prepare and recover.
• Ramada by Wyndham Ottawa on the Rideauofficial accommodation partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Ramada is the Official Accommodation Partner, offering preferred rates to festival participants. Located 5KM from festival grounds with waterfront amenities including dock access and boat rentals.
• Tree Canadaenvironmental partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerTree Canada partnered with the festival for its 2005 carbon neutral certification, planting 2,287 trees to absorb 364 tonnes of carbon.
• Rideau Valley Conservation Foundationenvironmental partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRideau Valley Conservation Foundation partnered with the festival for its 2005 carbon neutral certification initiative.
• Embassy of the People's Republic of Chinacultural partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Embassy presents the Panda Cup, a signature cultural highlight celebrating Chinese cultural heritage through dragon boat racing with teams from the Chinese-Canadian community and diplomatic corps.
• Dragon Boat Canadasport governing bodyStrategic or Co-development PartnerDragon Boat Canada is the national sport governing body. The festival is a Dragon Boat Canada Race Series Event, with the Sue Holloway Cup serving as a DBC qualifier.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Calgary Dragon Boat Festival: Major Western Canadian dragon boat festival with a comparable team count and corporate/community mix. Comparable in operating model (free public admission, multi-division racing, sponsor-driven revenue) and similar scale of paddler participation.
• Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival: Toronto's premier dragon boat racing event, offering the closest large-market Canadian peer in terms of team count, sponsorship mix, and community-versus-corporate team segmentation. Competes for the same corporate sponsors and out-of-town dragon boat teams.
• Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival (Vancouver): Vancouver's flagship dragon boat festival and the most direct Canadian peer; Concord Pacific is also a sponsor of the Ottawa event and has nearly 40 years of dragon boat racing support. Operates a similar multi-division, multi-sponsor festival model targeting corporate and community teams.
• GWN Dragon Boat Challenge (Gatineau): Annual dragon boat event held across the Ottawa River in Gatineau, directly competing for Ottawa-region paddlers, volunteers, and corporate teams. Closest geographic competitor and the most immediate head-to-head in team recruitment.

Others

• Canadian Tulip Festival: Ottawa's other signature spring/summer festival with a similar free-admission, sponsorship-funded operating model and corporate engagement strategy. Comparable in regional tourism impact and not-for-profit festival governance structure.
• Ottawa Bluesfest: One of Canada's largest outdoor music festivals, also held in Ottawa. Comparable in operating scale (free admission zones, large sponsor portfolio, tens of thousands of attendees, multi-day June/July footprint) and competes for the same corporate sponsorship dollars in the Ottawa market.
• IDBF Club Crew World Championships: International Dragon Boat Federation's flagship world championship event for club crews; not a direct commercial competitor but the highest-prestige competitive venue in the sport, drawing the elite teams (including Sue Holloway Cup competitors) that the Ottawa festival services as a qualifier.

Regional players

• Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Championships: Asia's flagship dragon boat racing event organized by the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Association; the spiritual home of the sport given its Chinese cultural origins. Comparable competitive structure with elite and community divisions, though operates at much larger international scale.
• Singapore Dragon Boat Festival: Singapore's national dragon boat competition and one of Asia's largest paddling events. Similar multi-division community-and-corporate structure and free public admission model; competes in the same dragon boat governance ecosystem (IDBF-affiliated).
• Marina Bay Financial Centre Dragon Boat Festival: Singapore waterfront dragon boat event with strong corporate sponsor engagement similar to the Ottawa model. Operates in a different geography but competes for the same multinational sponsors (financial services, consumer brands) interested in dragon boat activation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ottdragonboat
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/OttawaDragonBoatFest
• Facebookfacebook.com/ottawadragonboat
• Instagraminstagram.com/ottawadragonboatfestival
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ottawa-dragon-boat-race-festival

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival