The LA County Dragon Boat Festival, Santa Fe Dam, October 4, 2025
There’s no paddling event that’s more fun than a Dragon Boat festival. Maybe that’s why Dragon Boat racing is growing by leaps and bounds. This centuries-old tradition from China has migrated to all corners of the globe. And it’s alive and well in Irwindale, California.
There, paddlers gather every year—most of them juniors—in one of the most entertaining water sports around. Anyone can participate, from beginners on up. It’s a celebration of team unity, with 14 teams racing. And the races are electric, complete with beating drums and colorful dragon boats cutting through the water, against the picturesque backdrop of the San Gabriel Mountains.
ARE Tahiti: Supporting the Next Generation
ARE Tahiti is dedicated to nurturing junior paddlers no matter what boats they paddle. Which is why we are a proud sponsor of this event.
ARE Tahiti will be on hand this year, along with our affiliate, shopoutrigger.com, welcoming all the juniors taking part in this festival. To help expose young paddlers to outrigger paddling, and help them develop as paddlers, ARE Tahiti will conduct free paddling clinics taught by expert Tahitian paddler Vaimiti Maoni, a world women’s junior champion in singles and team paddling and the captain and coach of the Ihilani Va’a #23 women’s team since 2021.
Exclusive Canoe Sale at the Festival
ARE Tahiti will also have brand new V1 Marara and V1 Mako rudderless outriggers for sale—regularly $4,750 but $4,750 $4,500 at this event.
Come join us for an exciting day of Dragon Boat racing! Get more details on this dragon boat festival or contact race director Nathan Salazar, at TeamDPW06@gmail.com. Be sure to look for the Shopoutrigger.com booth and enjoy a free paddling clinic. To learn more about ARE TAHITI canoes, visit www.aretahiti.com. Or visit ShopOutrigger.com for everything a paddler might need, including canoes, clothing, and accessories.
