Random shoe? Sure. Beer can? Definitely. Forty-seven-foot boat shaped like a dragon? In the hierarchy of things you’re likely to see floating down Buffalo Bayou, dragon boats place remarkably high today, as more than 30 of them will race at the sixth annual Dragon Boat Festival. Twenty-person teams, consisting of corporations, youth groups and community organizations, will vie in pursuit of the Dragon Cup. The racers will continue a tradition dating back some 2,283 years to ancient China, where boats were sent out to look for a beloved martyr who had drowned himself in protest of government policy. Fortunately, today’s occasion is much more festive, featuring dancing and lots of food and games for adults and children — because egg rolls are always better than martyrdom.
Sat., May 6, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
This article appears in May 4-10, 2006.