The Dragon Boat Festival is a clear example of how sports can be combined with creative events to increase public interest and participation in sports. Through this festival, the public can enjoy the beautiful beauty of dragon boats and also witness talented athletes competing fiercely on dragon boats.
The 14th Dragon Boat Festival was held at Laguna Pantai Depok, Bantul on 22-23 June 2019, in the framework of the Peh Cun celebration. This festival is organized by the Yogyakarta Special Region Tourism Office, in collaboration with the Bantul Regency Government and the Jogja Chinese Art & Culture Center. This competition was attended by 24 teams from DIY and other regions, with the main event being the Dragon Boat Rowing Competition.
Depok Beach Lagoon is a beautiful place and has the potential to be developed not only as a marine tourism destination but also as a place to support rowing sports. The festival aims to promote maritime tourism in Bantul Regency, and the Head of the Yogyakarta Special Region Tourism Office hopes that this festival will attract dragon boat sports lovers and develop into a national-level event in the future.
The preliminary round of 16 races will be held on Saturday, 22 June 2019, while the semifinals and final will be held the following day. The festival also features traditional dance performances, lion dances and a parade of 26 decorated boats by local fishermen. The competition was won by Podsi Pati Team, followed by Podsi Kulonprogo A and Dispora Balikpapan. The festival is also a platform for nurturing young athletes and developing the tourism industry in the region.
The Dragon Boat Festival, which was successfully held in Bantul, is expected to become an annual event that the community and fans of dragon boat sports look forward to. Apart from that, this festival is also an opportunity for dragon boat rowers to show off their skills and prepare for other competitions, including international events.
Thus, this festival will become a strategic event to promote the beauty and natural wealth of Bantul, as well as strengthen the image of Bantul as a creative, innovative and progressive city in the fields of tourism and sports. It is hoped that with this Dragon Boat festival, people in Bantul and its surroundings can benefit from the development of the tourism and sports industry, so that the local economy can continue to grow and develop.