Dragon Boats Coming to St. Pete

On Sunday at USF St. Pete,  Mayor Bill Foster will announce the city's first Paddles Up St. Pete festival during an 8:30 a.m. news conference at the USF waterfront.

Mayor, according to a news release, will be escorted by the Pink Dragon Ladies, Florida's first breast cancer survivor dragon boat team, as he kicks off Breast Cancer Awareness Month and St. Petersburg's first-ever free festival promoting paddle sports, which will take place in Poynter Park and Bayboro Harbor on Saturday, Oct. 6.

The festival offers St Petersburg residents their first opportunity to watch dragon boat racing, one of the fastest-growing water sports in the United
States, featuring teams from across Florida. According to a news release, the festival is hosted by The United States Power Squadron, a non-profit organization dedicated to marine education, safety and recreational boating.

According to the city, the festival, which highlights the affordability and accessibility of paddle sports and as a way for people to stay active, also promotes enjoyment of St Petersburg's waterways. Canoes, kayaks and stand up paddleboards will be available for the public to try out, as well as find out information on water safety and how to help preserve our waterways. For more information, visit www.paddlesupstpete.com.