First AAPI fest draws thousands to local lake

From Staff Reports

Thousands gathered at the Bath House Cultural Center at White Rock Lake for the city of Dallas’ inaugural Asian American and Pacific Islander festival, celebrating with dance, food and the featured event: dragon boat racing.

From Hawaii’s hula to the Philippines’ lumpia and stories of refugees resettling in Texas after the Vietnam War, an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 attendees at the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage and Dragon Boat Festival on Sunday, May 19, were treated to the diverse sights, tastes and sounds that have helped build North Texas.

Martine Elyse Philippe, director of the Dallas Office of Arts and Culture, said the city was grateful to host the festival.

“I want to give a shout out to all the folks who were out there on the lake. That was such an amazing, beautiful display of athleticism,” Philippe said. 

“And again, we’re here to uplift our multicultural heritage as noted as part of our mission and vision.”

The city produced the event with the North Texas chapter of the National Association of Asian American Professionals and Dallas United Crew’s Delite dragon boat team, which is based at White Rock Lake.

Dragon boating carries on a tradition that began in China more than 2,000 years ago and has evolved into the ultimate team sport as 20 people in a canoe paddle in sync down the race course. Dragon boating gained popularity in many communities because it is accessible to paddlers regardless of age or fitness level.

ACTIVE Network, a company based in the Metroplex that offers software and technology platforms to help event organizers, was title sponsor of the dragon boat races.

“This partnership underscores our dedication to supporting the rich cultural tapestry that the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities bring to our city,” said Christina Weitzel, ACTIVE Network’s senior director of marketing. “At ACTIVE Network, we believe in the power of community events to bring people together, create understanding, and celebrate the diverse cultures that enrich our lives.

Secondary sponsor ABC Fitness said the festival was a salute to what makes the greater Dallas area vibrant.

“I’m especially proud to see our team members come together to support and honor the AAPI culture and traditions,” said Rachana Jain, chief people officer for ABC Fitness. “Events like this remind us of the strength and resilience of the AAPI community and the important role they play in our shared success.” 

Civic and community leaders plan to make the festival an annual event. 

“We’re so proud to have put on a successful event that not only showcased the people that make up the fabric of Dallas, but beautiful White Rock Lake, which our team calls home,” said Cristine Kao, head coach of the Delite team. “We want to continue to build our dragon boat program in Dallas so we can continue this tradition for years to come.”

To try out dragon boating, join Delite for an open house Sunday, June 16 at 8:15 a.m. at the DUC boathouse, 417 E. Lawther Dr. in Dallas. Visit meetup.com/dallasdragonboat.

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