About Dragon Boat Festival
The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Festival (端午节), is a traditional Chinese festival with over 2,000 years of history. It is celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, typically in June.
The festival has a rich cultural significance, with its origins often attributed to the legend of Qu Yuan, a revered Chinese poet and statesman who lived during the Warring States period. According to legend, Qu Yuan drowned himself in the Miluo River out of despair for his country’s decline. To honor him, locals raced in boats and threw rice dumplings into the river to protect his body from fish, forming the basis for the festival’s traditions.
In China, the Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated with vibrant dragon boat races, where teams paddle in large dragon-shaped boats to the beat of drummers, and crowds cheer from the shores. Eating zongzi (粽子), rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves with various fillings like sweet red bean paste or pork, is also a central part of the celebration. Additionally, traditional practices like hanging wormwood and calamus are believed to ward off evil spirits.
Globally, the Dragon Boat Festival has gained popularity in countries with large Chinese communities. In Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore, dragon boat races are major attractions. In the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, dragon boat festivals are community events, drawing participants from diverse backgrounds. These celebrations promote teamwork, cultural heritage, and community spirit, making the Dragon Boat Festival a vibrant and meaningful tradition worldwide.
“Celebrating Dragon Boat Festival is a wonderful way to connect with Asian cultures.”
“Dear Asia offers a gala celebration of culture through learning, hands-on making, and meaningful connection.”
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Heads • Hands • Hearts
At Dear Asia, each cultural celebration is never a small undertaking. Our entire team comes together to craft signature experiences designed for meaningful impact and lasting impressions. We want every guest at our events to see, feel, learn, taste, and create — to connect genuinely with Asian cultures through immersive, multi-sensory experiences.
That’s why every Dear Asia event is built around three core elements – Heads, Hands and Hearts.
How does it work?
At Dear Asia, we design our cultural events like vibrant, interactive fun fairs — adaptable for groups of any size through a series of themed activity stations.
Each station offers a meaningful window into Asian culture, whether through festival food and drink tastings with live storytelling, or cultural demonstrations like tea-making, complete with etiquette and context.
Our craft stations invite guests to get hands-on with creative activities tailored to the cultural occasion. We offer both beginner-friendly and more advanced options, all guided by experienced instructors. Traditional arts such as calligraphy, ink painting, paper cutting, and origami can also be included to enrich the experience.
For deeper immersion, we can also offer traditional costume try-ons and interactive learning stations with quizzes and games that make cultural discovery engaging and fun.
To ensure quality engagement, we maintain a facilitator-to-guest ratio of 1:6–8, ensuring everyone feels guided, involved, and connected.
What we can do
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Bespoke cultural workshops for companies
Explore our range of workshops on Asian cultures, perfect for your next team-building event or cultural learning session at work.
Best of Asia Zen Crafting
Our Asian Zen crafting workshop is thoughtfully crafted to offer a serene experience that fosters a connection with the rich arts and crafts of Asian heritage. Through engaging in these gentle crafting activities, we aim to inspire a deeper appreciation for Asian aesthetics while providing a serene space for individuals to find tranquility in the creative process. The workshop covers a range of practices, including Japanese origami, Chinese calligraphy, and Korean embroidery, promoting not only inner peace but also the creation of beautiful, meaningful art, resulting in a profound sense of accomplishment with each creation.
Best of Asia Drink Tasting
Our “Best of Asia” drink tasting workshop presents a delightful opportunity to acquaint your team with a variety of unique drinks and exotic flavors. We’re excited to share with you a carefully curated selection of beverages from various regions of Asia, each boasting its distinct taste profiles and potential mixing options. During this engaging workshop, we not only explore these intriguing flavors but also delve into the rich tapestry of Asian drinking culture. Your team will gain insights into the customs, traditions, and even fun drinking games that are integral to these cultures.
Our Festive Celebration Events
Keep an eye on our calendar, and you’ll find that we have festival celebrations throughout the year, bringing you a taste of Asian culture and heritage.
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July 7
Tanabata Star Festival – Japanese Calligraphy & Origami Workshop
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July 26
The Very Japanese Kintsugi Workshop
More about Asian Festivals & Cultures
Find out our blog writing offering you insights about asian festivals from history, background to ideas of how to celebrate with your team to promote culture diversity in your company.
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