Colorado Dragon Boat invites the community to celebrate and close out the 2026 dragon boat season at the Riverdale Regional Park Dragon Boat Regatta & Night Market on Saturday, Sept. 26, at Riverdale Regional Park in Adams County.
Denver7 is a proud partner of Colorado Dragon Boat and the Regatta & Night Market.
The event will feature a full day of dragon boat racing on Mann-Nyholt Lake followed by an evening Night Market celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander culture through food, music, art and community programming. Organizers say the event will bring together paddlers, families, friends and community members to close out the season.
Dragon boat racing will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with teams competing on the water throughout the day. Community members are invited to watch the races and cheer on participating teams.
The Night Market will begin at 4:00 p.m. and run through 9:00 p.m. Guests can explore food vendors, marketplace vendors, cultural performances and live music. Food vendors include Captain Tacos & Sushi, Abante, Denver’s Hmong Sausages, Cultural Connections, Day Day Up Tea and Charminar Express.
A Dragon Marketplace will feature businesses, artists and community organizations offering art, jewelry, photography, handmade goods and educational resources.
Entertainment throughout the evening will take place on two stages. Cultural performances will be featured on the Denver7 Dragon Harmony Stage inside the Waymire Dome, while live music will take place on the outdoor Band Stage. Denver7 Reporter Peter Choi will emcee the entertainment on the Denver7 Dragon Harmony Stage. The evening will also include an awards ceremony recognizing teams that competed in the day’s races.
Guests can also participate in fundraising activities benefiting Colorado Dragon Boat, the nonprofit organization that produces the Regatta & Night Market, as well as the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival and Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival. Attendees can purchase a souvenir drink cup for $25, which includes unlimited drinks throughout the evening, with alcoholic beverages available for guests 21 and older. A silent auction inside the Waymire Dome will feature a variety of items and experiences, with proceeds supporting Colorado Dragon Boat’s programs and services. Community members may also bid online before and during the event.
The evening will conclude with a drone show at 8:45 p.m. presented by high school students from St. Vrain Valley School District. According to organizers, the show will be set to the drumbeats of Denver Taiko and will serve as the finale of the event.
Colorado Dragon Boat is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating and strengthening the AANHPI community through cultural education, leadership development and athletic competition. The organization hosts programs and events including the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, the Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival, the AANHPI Emerging Leaders Program, and the Riverdale Regional Park Dragon Boat Regatta & Night Market.
Admission to the event is free. The Regatta & Night Market will take place at Riverdale Regional Park, located at 9755 Henderson Road in Brighton.
To learn more, visit CDBF.org.
This article was paid for through an in-kind partnership.
