Steveston was host to two excellent, family friendly events this weekend – the Maritime festival and the FreshCo Richmond Dragon Boat Festival.
The FreshCo Richmond Dragon Boat Festival featured 69 teams racing down the Fraser River. Colourful team clothing and exciting races highlighted the event.
Competitors brought with them a high level of energy and enthusiasm.
The event also featured cultural performances, live music and art works by local artists.
For those who don't know, Richmond’s maritime roots run deep in Steveston Village.
Further evidence of this was seen last weekend when the 21st annual Richmond Maritime Festival enlivened the Britannia Shipyards.
The free event included community exhibits and guides, live music performances, art displays, puppet shows, food trucks for every taste and other high energy activities.
The festival offered a full slate arts and crafts, including Japanese drummers and hands-on activities such as face painting, an Origami Workshop and learning to crochet sea creatures.
One enduring theme is the celebration of the culture of Japanese, Chinese, Indigenous and European workers within the fishing industry.
The weekend also offered a rare opportunity to observe or visit restored heritage boats that were moored on the docks.
The vessels included the 102-year-old SS Master tugboat, which is the oldest working wooden-hulled steam-powered tug in the world. Also on display was the MV Gikumi, a vessel that has been in use for more than 70 years.
Several local groups performed at the community stages during the two-day event, such as singer Norine Braun, Yuki the Juggler, and other performers throughout the historic site.
The Maritime Festival is presented by the City of Richmond in partnership with the Richmond Arts Coalition and Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site Society.
For more information about Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site, click here.
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