I heart PGH

Author: monolithicjj

  • A fiery alternative to the Arts Fest this weekend…

    [EDITORS NOTE: I didn’t see this post until Sunday Night, so I apologize for not putting it up sooner.  I am posting it because I just had a conversation last week with someone who didn’t know Pittsburgh had Dragon Boat Racing -Lindsay]

    If, like me, you’ve had enough deep fried oreos and corn dogs to last another year, then you could switch out downtown for Station Square, where the annual Dragon Boat Races are taking place (it has moved from September to June this year, just so that you can get a better tan while spectating…):

    Catch the 2007 Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Races on Saturday June 16, 2007 at Station Square. The race course will run along the Monongahela River and is viewable from the River Walk in Bessemer Court. Cheer on top East Coast teams and local novice teams as they compete from 10 am – 6 pm. Admission is free, and more information is available online at www.threeriversrowing.org.

    Paddling

  • Aquatic Dragon Battles

    Not some sub-level on Dungeons & Dragons or a scene from the next Harry Potter…

    Rather, the Pittsburgh Dragonboat Festival, taking place this Saturday over on the South Side from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

    If you’ve never seen it or even heard of it before, well, that’s because it’s still pretty new to our region – but the sport has been going on in China for centuries (it’s actually one of the oldest sports known that is still raced competitively). Take 20 (willing, gullible or foolhardy) people and cram them into a long boat, add a drummer and a person to steer the damn thing and decorate everything with ‘dragonphernalia’ et voila! you have dragonboating.

    The Pittsburgh festival is now in its fifth year, and comes on the back of our two local teams (the Steel City Dragons and the Pittsburgh Paddlefish) becoming more competitive on the national level. Teams will be coming in from DC, Philadelphia, New York and even Toronto to challenge for the title of ‘Pittsburgh Champions’.
    Go cheer – go eat Chinese food – go get your dragon on!