Dragon Boat Festival honored by tourism industry

The Montana Dragon Boat Festival on Flathead Lake was named as the Tourism Event of the Year at the 2013 Montana Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Recreation held in Helena, March 24-26.

The event debuted on Sept. 8, 2012, with 46-foot long Hong Kong-style paddle-powered boats racing on Flathead Lake near the Flathead Lake Lodge in Bigfork. More than 3,000 volunteer hours went into setting up this ambitious undertaking

More than 3,000 spectators were drawn to the event to watch 1,200 participants from across the country taking part in the single-day event. With participants from 12 states and two Canadian provinces, the event enjoyed a 97 percent overall approval rating with a similar percentage vowing to return in 2013.

The 2012 event generated more than $770,000 in economic impact to surrounding communities, and $75,000 was raised and pledged to support local nonprofits.

Organizers expect the number of participants to nearly double this year, with a 46 percent increase in the number of teams entering the popular race. To accommodate the increase, organizers have added a second day, which is expected to increase the local economic impact.