What you need for a dragon boat festival

A dragon boat festival needs more than boats and paddles. You need enough safety equipment for every person on the water, clear race-day identification, reliable communication and practical supplies for teams, volunteers and spectators. Plan separate quantities for children and adults, and keep spare equipment available for damaged or missing items. This checklist also covers the often-forgotten setup essentials, from extension leads and gas cylinders to route markers and waste facilities.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Sports equipment

Dragon boatsqty 3
Paddlesqty 60
Spare paddlesqty 10
Adult life jacketsqty 70
Children's life jacketsqty 15
Start and finish buoysqty 8
Barrier buoysqty 12
Rope rollsqty 4
Life ringsqty 4
Throwing hooksqty 4
Stopwatchesqty 4
Whistlesqty 8
Bib numbersqty 12
Team flagsqty 12

Furniture

Party tentsqty 3
Beer tablesqty 10
Foldable tablesqty 6
Folding chairsqty 80
Bar matsqty 2
Clothes racksqty 4
Stage sectionsqty 2

Equipment

Sound system
Wireless microphonesqty 2
Extension cordsqty 6
Power stripsqty 6
Megaphonesqty 2
Walkie-talkiesqty 8
Punch clocksqty 2

Kitchen

Barbecuesqty 2
Gas cylindersqty 2
Coolersqty 8
Thermos flasksqty 6
Cutting boardsqty 6
Chef's knifeqty 4
Serving plattersqty 12
Serving utensilsqty 12

Tableware

Reusable cupsqty 250
Platesqty 180
Cutlery setsqty 180
Coffee cupsqty 80
Water jugsqty 12

Decorations

Buntingqty 12
Dutch flagsqty 6
Balloon archesqty 2
Directional signsqty 14
Directional signsqty 10
Tableclothsqty 16
Name badgesqty 180

Lighting

LED string lightsqty 8
LED lanternsqty 12

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 12
Waste binsqty 4
Broom setsqty 4
Floor squeegeesqty 2
Bucketsqty 6
Cleaning clothsqty 30
Glovesqty 12

Catering

First aid kitsqty 2
Ice packsqty 24
Trophiesqty 3
Medalsqty 40
Vouchersqty 200
Groceries
- Still water - 120 bottles
- Sparkling water - 60 bottles
- Cola - 30 bottles
- Coke Zero - 24 bottles
- Sinas - 18 bottles
- Iced tea - 18 bottles
- Apple juice - 12 cartons
- Orange juice - 12 cartons
- Alcohol-free beer - 48 bottles
- Pilsener - 120 bottles
- Rosé - 12 bottles
- White wine - 12 bottles
- Coffee - 4 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Sugar - 2 kilos
- Milk - 8 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Ice cubes - 20 bags
- Baguettes - 20 pieces
- Hamburger buns - 180 pieces
- Hamburgers - 180 pieces
- Vegetarian burgers - 30 pieces
- Chicken skewers - 120 pieces
- Vegetarian skewers - 30 pieces
- Smoked sausages - 60 pieces
- Vegetarian smoked sausages - 15 pieces
- Herb butter - 10 tubs
- Ketchup - 6 bottles
- Mayonnaise - 6 bottles
- Mustard - 4 bottles
- Barbecue sauce - 6 bottles
- Satay sauce - 6 jars
- Hamburger sauce - 4 bottles
- Fried onions - 4 bags
- Pickles - 6 jars
- Lettuce - 12 heads
- Tomatoes - 12 kilos
- Cucumbers - 8 pieces
- Onions - 8 kilo
- Bell peppers - 6 kilos
- Mushrooms - 5 kilos
- Potato salad - 12 kilos
- Pasta salad - 12 kilos
- Raw vegetables - 10 kilos
- Baguettes - 20 pieces
- Plain chips - 12 bags
- Paprika chips - 12 bags
- Tortilla chips - 10 bags
- Salsa - 8 jars
- Snack mix - 8 bags
- Popcorn - 6 bags
- Apples - 10 kilos
- Bananas - 8 kilos
- Grapes - 6 kilos
- Watermelons - 4 pieces
- Cookies - 8 packs
- Brownies - 120 pieces
- Mini muffins - 120 pieces
- Marshmallows - 6 bags
- Bread bags - 4 rolls
- Aluminum foil - 4 rolls
- Plastic wrap - 4 rolls
- Baking paper - 4 rolls
- Charcoal - 20 kilos
- Firelighters - 4 boxes
- Table runners - 20 pieces
- Napkins - 500 pieces
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 48 rolls
- Trash bags - 100 pieces
- Compostable gloves - 4 boxes
- Dish soap - 4 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 4 bottles
- Disinfectant wipes - 6 packs
- Hand soap - 6 dispensers
- Hand gel - 8 bottles
- Paper towels - 12 packs
- Bandages - 4 boxes
- Wound gauze - 4 packs
- Disinfectant - 4 bottles
- Disposable gloves - 4 boxes
- Sunscreen - 12 bottles
- Mosquito repellent - 6 bottles
- AA batteries - 24 pieces
- AAA batteries - 24 pieces
- Highlighters - 12 pieces
- Ballpoint pens - 30 pieces
- Adhesive tape - 8 rolls
- Cable ties - 200 pieces
- Rope - 4 rolls

Tips

Count one correctly sized life jacket for every person in each boat, including steerspeople and safety crew. Keep children’s life jackets separate from adult sizes and have spare jackets available for late changes or damaged gear.
Plan at least one spare paddle per boat, then add extra paddles for training, breakage and different crew sizes. Check paddle condition before teams arrive rather than discovering problems at the start line.
For a marked race route, prepare start and finish buoys, barrier buoys, rope rolls and life rings before the first crew launches. Store throwing hooks and rescue equipment with the safety team, not at the registration desk.
Give each team a visible bib number and team flag, and prepare enough printed competition forms for every heat plus several spare copies. Keep stopwatches, whistles, megaphones and walkie-talkies with named race officials and volunteers.
Allow separate power and catering checks for the event site: count extension cords and power strips for the sound system and microphones, and confirm the number of barbecues and gas cylinders before food preparation begins. Pack weather protection for equipment under the party tents, because wet cables and paperwork cause avoidable delays.

Frequently asked questions

How many life jackets do we need for a dragon boat festival?: Provide one correctly sized life jacket for every person who may go on the water, including paddlers, steerspeople and safety crew. Add a reserve supply for last-minute participants, damaged jackets and size changes; a practical starting point is one spare jacket per boat.
How many spare paddles should we buy for dragon boat racing?: Plan at least one spare paddle per dragon boat, with additional spares if crews will train before the races or if equipment must be transported between locations. Inspect and label all paddles before registration opens.
What safety equipment is needed for a dragon boat festival?: Prepare adult and children’s life jackets, life rings, throwing hooks, start and finish buoys, barrier buoys and rope rolls. Have the safety equipment checked before the first launch and keep rescue items with the water-safety team throughout the event.
When should I prepare the dragon boat festival shopping list?: Complete the first equipment count at least 2–3 weeks before the festival, after the number of teams and route are known. Recheck quantities 2–3 days before the event, including gas cylinders, power supplies, printed forms and spare equipment.

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