London DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL 2026
WHEN
Thursday 10th September 2026
WHERE
Surrey Docks Fitness and Water Sports Centre, Rope St, London SE16 7SX
what makes our festival special?
Teams
11 people makes a full boat - but teams can be 7–15 people, zero experience needed, maximum team spirit required. Every crew gets at least two races. Bragging rights are unlimited.
Catering
Forget a dry burger. Your crew sits down to a proper Premier BBQ: main, side, dessert. 11 tickets included. This is victory fuel.
Charity Donation
Premier and Platinum packages include a cash donation paid directly by us to your chosen charity. No fundraising forms. No chasing colleagues. Just free money for your cause.
Marketing
Platinum entry puts your company logo on both sides of a racing dragon boat. That's your brand, on water, racing past Canary Wharf. You also get a half-page advert in our souvenir programme, printed and digital.
Photography
Every crew gets full-resolution digital images taken on the day, delivered after the event. Post them, share them, keep them forever.
Entertainment
A roving magician working the crowd. Live commentary calling your crew's name. Music across the site. A cash bar for the post-race toast.
Venue Decor
An inflatable arch built for team photos. Traditional dragon head and tail flags on every boat. It looks as good as it feels.
Networking
No name tags. Just teams from other companies, gathered bankside, bonding over BBQ and who capsized.
CASH BAR
Fully stocked cash bar on site. Pre-race nerves and post-race toasts covered.
VICTORY ARCH
Inflatable finish arch for team photos. Clear wins, strong visuals, proper moment marking.
From arrival to THE finals, it's a spectacle.
Join The Community
Check out the London Dragon Boat Festival Facebook page! Follow the latest news about the event, including updates on teams entered!
London Dragon Boat Festival - Fundraise for any charity
London Dragon Boat Festival takes place on the afternoon of Thursday 10th September 2026 at Surrey Quays Watersports Centre (overlooking Canary Wharf) and up to 40 teams will compete over the 200m race course.
This festival is all about championing the causes you care about most. When you register a team, you have the unique freedom to raise funds for any registered charity of your choice. Whether you’re passionate about local community projects, medical research, animal welfare, or environmental causes, your paddling can directly power their mission. It’s your team, your passion, your impact.
Participants, spectators and charity supporters are welcome to enjoy an afternoon of entertainment. There will be a bar, commentary, music, and a roving magician, while the buzzing atmosphere offers the perfect chance to network with other local companies. BBQ for 11 people is included in your entry!
Dragon boat racing is the fastest growing water activity in Britain today – as well as the most fun! Up to 10 people paddle each 30’ boat with a drummer at the front beating time and our helm at the tail steering a straight course. No previous experience is required, just plenty of team spirit!
London Dragon Boat Festival is mainly aimed at corporate groups who are looking for a great team building day out whilst supporting and raising funds for a charity of their choice. Read more about how you can help below.
We cannot wait to deliver this amazing event and we hope to see you all there! Let’s make this year the one to remember and raise as much money as we can for charity. Want to find out more about NewWave Events? Visit https://newwave-events.co.uk/ or simply give us a call on 01536 674 748, we would love to introduce ourselves!
HOW TO ENTER + ENTRY CATEGORIES
Entries now open!
So, are you interested in entering a team? You are in the right place – It’s quick and simple! All you need to do is read the entry categories below, choose the package which suits your team best, click on the ‘enter online now’ button and fill in your details on our online entry portal.
Follow the step by step process on the online entry portal and choose to pay by card (transaction charge 2%), BACS or cheque. Once the payment is received, you will be able to see your entry acknowledgement on the online entry portal dashboard. Please note that your entry is not confirmed until we have received payment and your online entry dashboard shows the entry acknowledgement information.
If you are the assigned Crew Manager, we will be contacting you with any new information related to the event.
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Entry Levels
Entries will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. No refunds will be given once an entry has been accepted and there can be no refund if the Festival or racing has to be cancelled due to conditions outside the control of NewWave Events.
Standard crew – £1,200+ vat
- High class venue and facilities
- Qualified helms, dragon boats and racing equipment
- At least 2 races per crew
- Speciality BBQ for 11 paddlers
- Bankside entertainment
- Printed and online souvenir programme accessible via QR code
- Prizes for the top three crews, the best mixed crew (minimum five women), the highest placed platinum crew and the crew raising the most money for your chosen charity
- All full-resolution photographs from the day available digitally
Premier crew – £1,200 + vat plus £400 donation to your chosen charity
- Package includes all the benefits of standard entry, £400 donation to your chosen charity and acknowledgment on the Festival website, crew managers pack, souvenir programme and results board.
Platinum crew – £1,800 + vat plus £600 donation to your chosen charity
- Package includes all the benefits of standard entry, £600 donation to your chosen charity, company logo on each side of one dragon boat, half page advert in the printed and online souvenir programme and acknowledgment on the Festival website, crew managers pack, souvenir programme, results board and commentary.
FUNDRAISE FOR CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE + TOP FUNDRAISERS PRIZE
We created this open charity model by identifying a gap in the market for small and medium sized companies like yours. Many want to enter a high impact event but have a specific, chosen charity they are passionate about supporting. This event is the effective, cost efficient solution. It provides a premier team building and networking day on the water, while letting you fundraise directly for your cause—all within a single, affordable entry.
How to Start Fundraising –
- Choose Your Cause: Select your charity and simply let us know who you’re supporting when you register. There’s no limit to the passion you can bring.
Create Your Hub: Set up a dedicated online fundraising page on platforms like JustGiving, GoFundMe, or your charity’s own portal. This is your central mission control for donations.
Shout About It: Announce your team’s mission! Email colleagues, post on social media, and get your corporate partners involved. Every share turns into potential support.
Top Fundraisers Prize – TBC
MEDIA PARTNERS
INFO FOR CREWS
Crews comprise of up to 10 paddlers plus a drummer – squads may be larger (max 15 persons). Crews can be mixed, all female or all male and organisations may enter more than one crew. The minimum age is 16 and no previous experience is required. All crew members must be confident in cold water conditions, wearing light clothing and in moving water and compete entirely at their own risk. BDA qualified helms, buoyancy aids and water safety cover are provided by the organisers. All crews accepted for entry must abide with the competition rules and entry details on this website. Each crew is guaranteed a minimum of 2 races (subject to conditions).
The Crew Manager will receive a full Crew Managers Information Pack following email confirmation of payment for the event via the online entry portal.
RACE SCHEDULE + TEAMS ENTERED
Race Schedule
2026 Race Schedule will be available here w/c 31st August
ADVERTISE IN THE SOUVENIR PROGRAMME
Promote your business by advertising in our Souvenir Programme
A printed Souvenir Programme will be available to all participants and spectators.
A QR code with the digital souvenir programme and live results will be available to all crews and spectators on the day.
Advertise in the souvenir programme and promote your company’s services or products at London’s largest corporate team event.
How to book an advert
Advertising can be booked directly through our online entry portal.
Please note: The Platinum entry package includes a half-page advert in our souvenir programme.
A5, full colour, printed and online portrait publication.
Advertisement Sizes and Costs (width x height)
Full page: 148.5 x 210mm = £250 + VAT
Half page: 148.5 x 105mm = £150 + VAT
Quarter page: 74.25 x 105mm = £100 + VAT
For inside covers, add 20%. For the back cover, add 25%.
Technical Specifications
File format: High-resolution PDF.
Image resolution: 300dpi for photos and drawings.
Scaling: No more than 120%.
Fonts: Must be embedded or outlined in the PDF.
Safe area: Keep all critical text and elements 3-5mm inside the document edge.
BBQ & DRINKS
BBQ
Each crew gets 11 complimentary BBQ buffet tickets. You can purchase additional tickets and fill in your dietary requirements via your online entry portal. Please fill this in by 13th August 2026 (9am latest)
Cash Bar
A cash bar will be available between the hours of 2pm and 7pm. Any teams/companies wishing to set up a company account, please contact Eamon Phillips of Barstop, on 07977 090910 or eamonphillips@barstop.co.uk prior to the day to make the necessary arrangements.
PHOTOS FROM THE DAY
A link to view all the photos from the day will be sent out to crew managers as soon as they are ready post event.
Please share them on your social media and tag NewWave Events and Festival partners 🙂
#londondragonboatfestival
*Please note, participants and spectators must acknowledge the fact this event is in the public arena and therefore by entering the venue, this may result in the recording of his/her image.
Our photographer for 2026 London Dragon Boat Festival is Magdelena Sienicka
HOW TO GET THERE + PARKING INFO
Address: Surrey Docks Fitness & Water Sports Centre, Rope Street, London, SE16 7SX
Parking is not available at the venue so please travel by bus, train/tube or bike.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT DO WE NEED TO BRING ON THE DAY?
We recommend you bring a refillable water bottle to stay hydrated, sun cream in case of hot weather and a sun hat. We also suggest you bring a change of clothes too as you may get wet from splashes when paddling.
If you are the crew manager, please also bring your signed risk forms for your team.
Other than that you just need a bit of determination and team spirit!
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?
On the day of the event we recommend you wear comfortable sports clothing and trainers or strap on shoes. Flip flops are strictly NOT allowed.
Rain coats and/or hats and sunglasses may also be a good idea depending on the weather!
INFO FOR SPECTATORS
- Free for spectators
- Exact timing for 2026 are TBC. Approx – 1pm-6pm
- 2026 race schedule will be released w/c 31st August 2026
- Dogs are not allowed
- Come and say hello and get a souvenir programme from the NewWave Events Gazebo!
- Please refer to the side entertainment and parking tabs for more info
BOOK A COMMUNITY OR CHARITY PITCH
- Table space within the Club Room
- You can arrange engaging activities to run from your pitch
- You will be listed in our souvenir programme
- You’re welcome to display flags and have promotional material in your pitch
- Great way to raise awareness of your charity or business
- Brilliant networking opportunity
Please contact us for availability and costs for a pitch.
ENTERTAINMENT
Close-up Magician
London Dragon Boat Festival: The Ultimate Corporate Team Building & Networking Event
The London Dragon Boat Festival overlooking Canary Wharf is an unmatched corporate team building and networking event. As your team works together to paddle in perfect rhythm, you’ll experience a direct lesson in communication and shared effort—the same fundamentals that drive a successful business. Our festival offers far more than a simple race on the water. It’s an afternoon of strategic networking and collaborative spirit, set against the iconic backdrop of the London Docklands. This is the ultimate event for companies looking to strengthen their team dynamic, connect with other local businesses, and achieve something memorable together by raising money for a charity of their choice.
What Your Team Actually Gets:
1. An Instant Team Vibe That Actually Sticks
Forget forced trust exercises. You’ll quickly learn that in a dragon boat, you either sync up or go in circles. Nailing that rhythm together builds a genuine, lasting bond way faster than any seminar.
2. A Break from the Screens That Doesn’t Feel Like a Meeting
This is team-building in the fresh air with an iconic skyline view of Canary Wharf. It’s active, fun, and the most effective way to “work on communication” while someone inevitably gets splashed.
3. Epic Bragging Rights & a Great Story
“Remember when we beat the Sales team by a dragon’s head?” becomes legendary office lore. You’re giving your team a shared adventure story that’s way better than “remember that PowerPoint deck?”
5. Networking That Doesn’t Feel Awkward
Bonding over a shared, slightly chaotic challenge is the ultimate icebreaker. Making connections happens naturally over cheers and laughs, not over stiff small talk and name tags.
7. The Good Feels of Doing Actual Good
Every paddle stroke helps raise money for a charity you choose. It adds a powerful layer of purpose, so the team leaves feeling proud of their effort and their impact.
9. A Ready-Made Answer to “What did you do for your team event?”
The answer is instantly cool and memorable: “We raced dragon boats in London Docklands.” It immediately sets your company culture apart from the standard dinner or escape room.