SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - For Peking University Alumni Boya Team member Zhao Heng Gong, paddling through the Connecticut River during Springfield's 10th annual Dragon Boat Festival was a return to joy.

What You Need To Know

  • Springfield hosted its 10th annual Dragon Boat Festival along the Connecticut River on Saturday, one of the biggest celebrations in China

  • Saturday's event saw more than 25 registered teams from all over the region in boats competing in 200 meter races

  • The festival also included food trucks and cultural performances from the Mountain River Taiko Drummers and Chinese Kungfu Academy

  • The charity event, which saw hundreds of race participants, was hosted by the Pioneer Valley River Front Club and the Chinese Association of Western Massachusetts.

"It's awesome. It's great weather. Great races. Well organized," said Gong. "One of the best organized races I've ever had. It's very smooth and the river out there, the water condition is really nice today so I has a great time on the water today."

A Greater Boston resident, Gong said he's been competing with Boya team for 8 years now and said he loves the unity and competition that comes with the sport.

"It's the spirit in the team and also the racing community," Gong said. "Dragon Boating as you may already seen, we've got 20 paddlers in one boat and all 20 people plus the drummer plus the steer."

Saturday's event saw more than 25 registered teams from all over the region in boats competing in 200 meter races.

The charity event, which saw hundreds of race participants, was hosted by the Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club and the Chinese Association of Western Massachusetts.

Association President Linda Hill said it's one the biggest holidays in China.

"Celebrating over 2000 years and on the day we honor Qu Yuan who died in the river," said Hill. "So we want do Dragon Boat race to attract fish to the surface so they don't eat his body, and we do a lot of celebrations in honor of spirit."

The festival also included food trucks and cultural performances from the Mountain River Taiko Drummers and Chinese Kungfu Academy.

Gong said he's been celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival since he was a child growing up in China and says the relationships he's built have been special.

"We're in the same boat and we should do the thing all together," said Gong. "That meaning, great timing, everyone should pedal, put their pedal in the medal at the same time, pull at the same time, and exit at the same time. That means we're in one boat and that spirit really is an amazing one."

The proceeds from the Dragon Boat Festival will go towards support of Breast Cancer survivors and community programming at the Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club.