Midway through summer, for the seventh consecutive year, Denver has enjoyed it's annual Dragon Boat Fesitval. This is a wonderful celebration of unity in diverse culture. I for one, never miss it! Come with me, and I will give you the grand tour...
We begin with the Asian marketplace in the park
Philosophical Advice
The outdoor food court. Yes folks... those are Monkeyballs. Yours truly wasn't quite up to trying something that exotic... but that booth did have the longest line, and all the guys in the line kept yelling... "MONKEYBALLS!!!"
Buddha was there
Rice paper parasols with painted dragons...
Lucky golden pig
A lady with an elephant parasol
Proper head gear
Dancers...
Drummers...
Dragon Boats and drums... all lined up and ready to race!
And they're off!
Racing to the shore
The end of the day
We begin with the Asian marketplace in the park
Philosophical Advice
The outdoor food court. Yes folks... those are Monkeyballs. Yours truly wasn't quite up to trying something that exotic... but that booth did have the longest line, and all the guys in the line kept yelling... "MONKEYBALLS!!!"
Buddha was there
Rice paper parasols with painted dragons...
Lucky golden pig
A lady with an elephant parasol
Proper head gear
Dancers...
Drummers...
Dragon Boats and drums... all lined up and ready to race!
And they're off!
Racing to the shore
The end of the day 
Posts
22 comments:
Ah, the post I've been waiting for :)
And to think that I thought the Calabrians sounded funny when yelling out whatever they're selling over the megaphone as they drive by. At least it's not Monkeyballs. I don't think so anyway ;)
Hey, I just got word that you commented over at my place--look at our synchronization!!!!!!
my computer froze on me and i was not able to leave this comment during my earlier visit:
Thanks for taking us with you.
not that the dragon boat festival is filipino but was there a filipino food booth?
you would remember if there was, they would be yelling:
FRIED CHICKEN ENTRAILS!!!
(a personal favorite, btw. this is not a disparaging remark about my country's food so simmer down pinoys)
glad we are back in the swing of things.
well 'we' meaning me since i have been absent.
please send my love to V.
Scarlett,
Well...let's see, hmm...I'm glad you decided to go to the festival.
I'm glad you decided to take scads of photos.
i'm glad you decided to share those photos with uu, your fans.
Your so cute I could just squeeze the stuffing out of you. ;-)
i just decide to tell you that...it seem appropo
rel
What fun! I love Thai food. When I lived in Detroit I used to go to all kinds of festivals. There really isn't much here to do.
That looks cool. I would like to go.
I'm a bit jaded on our local festivals.
Is it Chinese in origin?
Very fun day! We just had our annual SeaFair celebration last weekend here in Seattle with hydros instead of dragon boats and Blue Angels zipping through the skies instead of, um, monkey balls. ;-)
Christina
Lucky Golden Pig, unlucky monkey!
Looks like a great event!
you have no idea...
i SO want to paddle in one of those boats!
:-)
seriously...
Thanks for the ride. I enjoyed it. For a minute I thought I was back at FloydFest.
Sognatrice,
Took me long enough, huh? ;o)
People gotta hawk their wares, I guess. Just makes the eyebrows go up when it's... uh... an unusual product.
We are super synchronized. We should have red capes with matching hottie dresses with the big "SS" on the front.
Chesca,
Frozen computers are the worst. I've taken to putting mine in the microwave, a warm oven and a hot bath. So far... not so good.
Actually, it's mostly Asian/Pacific-Asian, but it's possible there may have been some Filipino culture there. I didn't see any chicken entrails because I bolted from the food market after seeing the monkey business.
Viaggiatore sends a big nuzzle and scratchy cat lick your way. He's purring pretty loudly.
Really loudly.
Rel,
So glad you liked it! Delighted to drag you through it! You're a good sport sir, a very good sport.
Stuffing huh? Well that's a relief! I always wondered what it was I was full of, when everyone told me I was full of it.
thanks!
Kelly,
Isn't Thai food yummy! I love it!
If there's nothing to do it only means that there's trouble to be gotten into.
Let me get my phone number for you, I'll be right over to help- I have an uncanny knack for finding really good trouble to get into. I've got it down to an art!
Taffiny,
Hey! Thanks for coming by! It was fun, and I had good company along with me. Don't know if it's Chinese in origin. Good question.
So... jaded how come? What are the festivals like there?
Christina,
I'd be there in a second to play in the water! YAY!
I am SO jealous of the Blue Angels!! OH what I wouldn't give to be one of them!!!!!!!
Jon,
Oh... I didn't think of that. Good one! Very unlucky, wonder if that's why they scream?
SPF,
I know!!! The company I work for has a team, has HAD a team for a few years, and I never knew it! I was so TICKED!!! I could have been on the rowing team!
Boo!
Aren't the boats great?
Colleen,
Aren't summer festivals FUN? There are several all summer long here, and they are always good to enjoy.
Glad you liked it.
Scarlett & Viaggiatore
Relatively new here but I've got to say you make me homesick for Colorado (where I grew up, mostly).
Thanks for all the pictures.
We have a number of Dragon Festivals tgat take place all over the country. I have often wondered its origins so I looked it up....
"The Dragon Boat Festival originated in the commemoration of a Chinese patriot, Qu Yuan, who killed himself by jumping into the river Li in despair of his country falling into the enemy's hands because his master refused to take his advice.
It is on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar, which falls approximately in May or June in the Western calendar.
This festival is celebrated in China, Hong Kong South East Asia, as well as in some British cities, with a dragon boat race and the eating of rice dumplings wrapped up in lotus leaves. Originally, the purpose of the boats was to frighten the fish away with the noise of drums and the rice dumplings were used to feed the fish so that the fish would not eat the dead body of Qu Yuan. Whilst the dragon boat race has become an international event in Hong Kong, it is also emerging in some cities in the UK as a spectacular Chinese event."
So now we know!
Sounds like fun. I like a good dragon boat day.
Thanks for the tour! I covet some of that "proper head gear" for gardening down here....
Monkeyballs?! Oooh...er...
Great piccies, Scarlett - wonderful sense of the energy, the laughter and colour! Looks like it was a great day out!
Wayfarer,
Homesick for Colorado? I'd miss it too. Your home there in Alaska is so incredible!
Colorado is lovely. I say it every day... what a beautiful place I live in.
Minx!
Hello lady! Thank you VERY much for the search and history for us, that was so nice to do. I love learning about things, and this was a good one!
Pearl,
So do I!! Gotta go every year.
Molly,
They are fun, aren't they? Must have proper head gear for an Asian festival in the sun!
Vanilla & Atyllah,
It was SO much fun, glad that came through in the photos... wish I could have figured out how to put the drum playing on here... that was incredible! They're 5th generation drummers!!
Scarlett & Viaggiatore
btw, scarlett--your award distribution gave me the impetus to start passing along awards received.
see-- you inspired me
Well that was fun Scarlet! How interesting.
How cool! I can see why you never miss it.
My dad and step-mum both row on a dragon boat team where they live, in Portland, OR.
Dear Chesca,
Thank the Lord I've inspired SOMEONE! Yay!
Good things should be shared.
Kat,
Glad you liked it!
Diana,
OH! I want to row one of those boats SOOOO badly.
We could make a blogger rowing team.
Pink Flowers gets to row too, and Chesca, you could drum!
We'd win!!
Scarlett & Viaggiatore
The fests here are like...uh rather commercial.
More on the spending of money and less on the fun.
Some you even have to pay to go to, so you can walk around and buy stuff. (That is like paying for entrance to the mall and the food court in my opinion) I never would go to one you had to pay to walk through. I would worry it was just me, becoming negative, but no many others, in my neck of the woods, of all ages, have said the same thing.
No monkey balls, no dragon boats, we have cell phone kiosks, free samples of advil, and over priced amercian fried food. So enjoy your festivals wonderfuls. hmm..makes me want to move. Forget good school districts, If I move, next time I will go for good festival districts.
Taffiny,
Good festival districts... ha ha ha... such a funny girl.
We have festivals all over the God blessed town all summer long, almost every single weekend, there is something going on somewhere.
At the beginning of the summer, you can go to several different festivals being held simultaneously.
So fun. So tiring.
Good stuff though.
I am glad to be here, I love living here. It's a good place to be, for now.
Scarlett & V.
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