Dwayne Gretzky and Kira Isabella headline free indoor concerts that accompany the spectacular ice dragon boat races.

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, February 5, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The BeaverTails Ottawa Ice Dragon Boat Festival is the world’s largest ice dragon boat race with over 1,200 athletes from the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand and more. Festivities take place on February 7-8, 2020 on the Rideau Canal Skateway at Dow’s Lake. Practices take place throughout the day Friday, with a special race under the lights Friday evening in support of ODBF.ca, and then on Saturday over 100 teams will compete in the 2nd IIDBF World Ice Dragon Boat Championships.

The 1st IIDBF World Ice Dragon Boat Championships were held in Longze Lake, Duolun County, Inner Mongolia, China and featured 300 athletes from United States, Britain, Germany, Canada and China participating.

Competitors in the 2nd IIDBF World Ice Dragon Boat Championships will thrill visitors to the National Capital Region and Winterlude by racing along the frozen surface of the World’s Largest Skating Rink. Boats are equipped with skate-like blades and participants propel themselves along the 200-meter race course using spiked ice-picks, to the audience’s delight.

Free indoor concerts from headliners Dwayne Gretzky and Kira Isabella will lead an all Canadian lineup that includes performances from Old Man Grant, Silent Winters, Boyhood, and DJ Noypi hosted inside the pavilion at Lago | Bar | Grill | View.

Dwayne Gretzky is a curated nostalgia trip that captures the unique joy of turning a radio dial and being surprised by the familiar. A 10+ piece juggernaut that brings to life the greatest songs of all time, this talented group of Toronto musicians ignites audiences with their charm, fidelity and theatrical flair.

Kira Isabella is an award-winning performer who has landed three Top 10 singles on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100, and eight consecutive Top 20 radio singles. Her current single, “Soon,” is climbing the Canadian country music charts. Kira has also seen key milestones including the opening performance on the CCMA Awards, with a tribute to her idol and the Award show host Shania Twain. Kira is a home town favourite that will delight the festival’s audiences.

Highlights will also include performances from Success Lion Dancers, Indigenous Experiences: Drum Group and First Nation Dancers, Chinese Canadian Children’s Choir of Canada, Sébastien Lemay, Royal Princesses and the 100th Regiment of Foot. The official opening ceremony, which takes place Friday evening, includes the centuries old tradition of the mythological eye-dotting ritual which breathes fire into the ice dragon boat festival, to officially awaken the spirit of the dragon. World Champions will be crowned in a closing awards ceremony held on Saturday evening.

COMPLETE EVENT SCHEDULE:

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7th

• 9:00 AM PRACTICE RACES & DEMONSTRATIONS
• 11:00 AM DJ NOYPI
• 5:45 PM SUCCESS LION DANCERS
• 6:00 PM OPENING CEREMONY: CHINESE CANADIAN CHILDREN’S CHOIR OF CANADA
• 6:30 PM INDIGENOUS EXPERIENCES: DRUM GROUP AND FIRST NATION DANCERS
• 7:00 PM ODBF SHIVER & GIVER FUNDRAISING RACES
• 7:30 PM AWARDS
• 8:00 PM OLD MAN GRANT
• 9:30 PM DWAYNE GRETZKY


SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8th

• 8:30 AM SUCCESS LION DANCERS
• 9:00 AM 100TH REGIMENT OF FOOT
• 9:00 AM RACING:
• 10:00 AM SÉBASTIEN LEMAY
• 11:00 AM ROYAL PRINCESSES
• 11:00 AM DJ NOYPI
• 3:10 PM SEMI-FINALS
• 4:50 PM 2ND IIDBF WORLD ICE DRAGON BOAT CHAMPIONSHIPS
• 6:00 PM CLOSING AWARDS CEREMONY
• 6:45 PM BOYHOOD
• 8:00 PM SILENT WINTERS
• 9:30 PM KIRA ISABELLA

ABOUT: BEAVERTAILS OTTAWA ICE DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL

The BeaverTails Ottawa Ice Dragon Boat Festival is the largest ice dragon boat race in the world and a highlight of Winterlude. The event provides an East-meets-West experience that honours the roots of dragon boating as a Chinese sport and combines it with Canadian winter sport culture.

The Festival was Winner of the 2018 Ottawa Tourism Award for New Company of the Year and hosted the 1st IIDBF World Club Crew Ice Dragon Boat Championship in 2019.

For more information visit icedragonboat.ca

ABOUT: BEAVERTAILS OTTAWA INCORPORATED

BeaverTails Ottawa Incorporated (“BTO”) is owned by Grant and Pam Hooker along with their partner and Chief Executive Officer, Andy Cullen. BTO owns the Master Franchise rights, granted by BeaverTails Canada Inc., a company founded 42 years ago, and still partially owned by the Hookers. That company has grown to 160 BeaverTail outlets worldwide. Its namesake products are whole-wheat pastries, individually hand stretched to resemble a beaver's tail. The chain originated in Killaloe, Ontario in 1978 and opened its first permanent store in Ottawa in 1980.

For more information visit beavertails.com

ABOUT: INTERNATIONAL ICE DRAGON BOAT FEDERATION
International Ice Dragon Boat Federation (IIDBF) is the official organization of ice dragon boat sports which is dedicated to the spread and development of ice dragon boat sport worldwide. IIDBF has published constitutions, articles, racing rules and regulations as well as racing technical specifications for international ice dragon boat races. The IIDBF is currently soliciting members.
For more information visit iidbf.org

Antony Cooper
Ottawa Ice Dragon Boat Festival
+1 613-238-7711
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BEAVERTAILS OTTAWA ICE DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL FEBRUARY 7-8, 2020