Dragon boats take over Lake Michigan at Milwaukee Asian culture festival

Dragon boats take over Lake Michigan at Milwaukee Asian culture festival brought traditional paddling races to the Summerfest grounds on Saturday, July 11. Fifty-one teams competed in the 2026 Milwaukee Dragon Boat Festival, launching from the dock on the south end of Henry Maier Festival Park, just north of the American Family Amphitheater. Each 42-foot-long dragon boat carried 21 paddlers plus a drummer and a steersperson, with teams aiming for synchronized strokes for speed and precision. Motley Crue from the Racine Dragon Boat Club won first place in the Diamond Division, the top category. The races, in their 12th year, were part of a broader Asian culture program that included traditional dance, Chinese folk music, and food and market activities hosted by the Milwaukee Chinese Community Center. The Wisconsin Chinese Chamber of Commerce and NAAAP were also involved. Early registration cost $1,100 per team, about $50 per person, and proceeds supported United Way.