Dragon boat races forced out of Beaufort. Here’s where to watch this year’s spectacle

For the first time, the venerable Beaufort dragon boat races will be held in neighboring Port Royal instead.

But fans of the unusual race will see the same colorful boats and fierce competition among the two dozen teams that will compete, the organizer says. And the mission — raising money to help cancer patients — remains the same.

DragonBoat Beaufort, which organizes the races, announced Tuesday a new location for the popular race has been found on Battery Creek centered around Fishcamp on 11th Street in Port Royal.

The 13th annual race, which will feature 24 teams, will be Saturday, June 27.

Port Royal leaders and local businesses stepped forward to welcome the event and help organize its new waterfront location, says Kaci Willis, the race’s co-director.

“I think it’s going to be the same fun, competitive environment people have experienced at Waterfront Park,” Willis told the Beaufort Gazette and Island Packet.

Race organizers were forced to find a new home when the city of Beaufort closed the promenade in the park because of structural issues in July.

Fischamp is allowing the use of its dock, Willis said, and Safe Harbor Port Royal will allow team tents and parking on its property. Shellring Ale Works is hosting the post-race celebration.

Paddling for money, recovery

Dragon boat racing, a spectacle on local waters better known for sailboats and fishing vessels, has become a tradition at Beaufort Waterfront Park in June.

The boats, weighing as much as 700 pounds, are replicas of vessels that date back some 2,000 years to China’s southern Guangdong Province where villages would compete for paddling supremacy. Today, races are popular across the world.

Each team has a drummer and 20 paddlers who paddle in rhythm to the beating drum before cheering crowds as the 42-foot-long dragon boats glide across the water.

It’s grueling and fiercely competitive — but the hard work is for a good cause. DragonBoat Beaufort, a local dragon boat team and nonprofit that runs the race, uses the event to raise money to help cancer patients as they are undergoing treatment. In 2025, it awarded 311 grants to 98 local cancer patients, totaling $81,755.

Many of the competitors are cancer survivors who use paddling to rebuild strength, confidence and friendships with others who understand the experience, Willis said.

Competitive dragon boat racing teams from all over compete, along with local teams that might not be as polished but are no less committed to winning.

Less-experienced teams receive training before the event. Past participants have included civic groups, businesses, schools, churches, hospitals and military units.

“It’s really amazing to see how much heart they put into it,” Willis said.

Race details

Date: Saturday, June 27, 2026

Time: 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Location: Port Royal waterfront, centered around Fishcamp on 11th Street.

Admission: Free and open to the public.

Beneficiary: DragonBoat Beaufort Cancer Outreach Program.

Teams: Community and Club teams, Cancer Survivor Division, Senior Division.

Team Size: 20 paddlers and a drummer.

After-Party: Shellring Ale Works.

Karl Puckett

The Island Packet

843-256-3420

Karl Puckett covers the city of Beaufort, town of Port Royal and other communities north of the Broad River for The Beaufort Gazette and Island Packet. The Minnesota native also has worked at newspapers in his home state, Alaska, Wisconsin and Montana.