Planning is well underway for the 2025 Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival, with registration for dragon boat teams opening on Saturday, February 15th.
The 24th annual fundraising festival for breast cancer care will take place on Saturday, June 14th at Del Crary Park in Peterborough and will once again feature dragon boat races on Little Lake, artisan and food vendors, a family fun zone, a beer garden, and more.
For the second year in a row, last year’s festival raised a record-breaking amount — $312,025.18 — for breast and other cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC). The proceeds raised last year surpassed the original fundraising goal of $251,825.18 by more than $60,000.
Recognizing last year’s achievement, festival organizers are once again increasing the fundraising goal for this year. The 2025 goal of $260,018.01 is also again a symbolic number representing the incidence of breast cancer among Canadians as well as the PRHC Foundation’s current Campaign for PRHC.
“The two represents the two out of five Canadians who will be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime (and) the 60 is to bring attention to the PRHC Foundation’s $60 million ReImagine Health Care campaign that we are a part of,” festival chair Michelle Thornton explains in a media release.
“In keeping with our mandate of raising awareness about breast cancer, the 18 is for the one in eight women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and the .01 is the percentage of men who will also face a breast cancer diagnosis.”
Hosted by the Survivors Abreast Dragon Boat Team, Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival was first launched in June 2001 as Liberty Mutual’s “Day on the Water”, becoming Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival the following year. Over the past 23 years, it has raised more than $4.5 million for breast cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment in the Peterborough region.
“We’ve always focused on breast cancer awareness and raising funds for the PRHC,” says Survivors Abreast team president Ann Stabler. “We know first hand the importance of the work the PRHC Foundation does, and their continuing mission to bring the best cancer care the world has to offer, right here to our hospital.”
Through the PRHC Foundation’s Campaign for PRHC, proceeds from the 2025 festival will support the regional hospital’s continued investment in new state-of-the-art equipment and technology to serve more cancer patients close to home by providing earlier cancer diagnosis and safer and more effective treatments.
“We’re excited to get back out on the water this June, paddling for a cause that has touched so many lives,” says PRHC Foundation president and CEO Lesley Heighway.
“As cancer volumes continue to rise in Peterborough and the surrounding area, it’s more important than ever to invest in state-of-the-art technology and equipment our regional hospital needs to care for our family, friends and neighbours. The support from Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival is absolutely vital to ensuring PRHC has the tools to provide world-class cancer care, close to home. We’re so grateful for the festival’s commitment to cancer care and the Campaign for PRHC.”
Along with community members pledging to support the dragon boat teams that will be racing on Little Lake on June 14, the festival relies on the support of local businesses and organizations to cover expenses and provide the best experience possible for participants.
Kawartha Credit Union, which has been the festival’s presenting sponsor every year since 2001, is returning to support the festival as presenting sponsor for their 24th consecutive year.
“This event is more than a celebration — it’s a powerful, collective effort to make a real difference in the lives of those battling breast or other cancer,” says Kawartha Credit Union’s president and CEO Norah McCarthy. “We invite our community partners to come together in support of this vital cause, as we work hand in hand to strengthen local healthcare and bring hope to countless families in Peterborough and beyond.”
Registration for the 24th edition of Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival opens just after midnight on Saturday, February 15th at ptbodragonboat.ca. The first three teams to register will win complimentary dragon boat practice.
