03/20/2026
2026 Eye-Dotting Ceremony Kicking off the Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race Season!
What: The Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association (PKSCA) presents the Eye Dotting Ceremony, signaling the start of the Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race season. This 38 year old ceremony includes a rich tapestry of color and sound with a formal Buddhist ceremony, drum line, and dignitaries dotting of the eyes of the Traditional-style dragon boats. The ceremony concludes with a river parade of dragon boats framed by the popular Portland Fire Boat water display. The ceremony is free and open to the public.
When: Sunday, March 29, 2026 11:00am-12:30pm
The Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race is held June 6 & 7 on the
Willamette River South of the Hawthorne Bridge and Waterfront Bowl area.
Where: Kimpton RiverPlace Hotel riverside deck and RiverPlace Marina docks, 1510 S Harbor Way, Portland, OR 97201
Why: According to ancient Chinese culture the dragon is a legendary creature, a totem, or a symbol of a deity or emperor. Dotting the eyes symbolically awakens and transforms the historically painted boats into real dragons.
The Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association (PKSCA), founded in 1987, has presented the Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race annually, since 1989. The Traditional-style dragon boat race is a celebrated part of the Rose Festival. More than fifty teams from around Portland and beyond annually participate. The race
features 3 team categories (Mixed, Womenβs, Open) spread over 3 divisions. Each individual race involves 4 boats, with each team composed of a caller, paddlers, a tiller, and a flag catcher.