2026 UK Chinese Dragon Boat Festival
Event Details
Date
13–14 June 2026
Location
MediaCity & Salford Quays, Salford, Greater Manchester, UK
Admission
Free Entry
Organised by
Xinhua Chinese Association (XCA), Salford City Council and BDA
Official Event Delivery Partner
SUMAN Group
About the Event
The UK Chinese Dragon Boat Festival is one of the largest and most established celebrations of Chinese culture and dragon boat racing in the United Kingdom. Bringing together Chinese community organisations, businesses, local authorities and visitors from across the UK, the festival has become an important platform for promoting cultural exchange and strengthening ties between China and the United Kingdom.
The 2026 festival will take place on 13–14 June at MediaCity & Salford Quays in Greater Manchester. This year's event coincides with the 100th anniversary of the City of Salford, with the festival forming part of the city's official centenary celebrations. The 2026 edition is expected to attract its largest audience to date, with increased media coverage and community participation.
Over two days, visitors will enjoy exciting dragon boat races, traditional Chinese cultural performances, street food, family activities, exhibitor stalls and community entertainment. More than 50 racing teams are expected to compete, making the festival one of the UK's premier Chinese cultural and sporting events.
The festival has received extensive media coverage over the years, including reports by CCTV, People's Daily Online, BBC, and other leading Chinese and British media outlets.
SUMAN Group's Role
Dr. Xu Yanzhong, Managing Director of SUMAN Group, and Lucky Deng, Chief Executive of SUMAN Group, serve respectively as President and Vice President of the Xinhua Chinese Association (XCA), one of the festival's principal organising bodies.
As the Official Event Delivery Partner, SUMAN Group is responsible for the overall planning and delivery of the festival. The Group provides comprehensive event management services, including event planning, branding and promotional materials, stakeholder coordination, venue operations, supplier management, logistics and on-site event execution.
Through its involvement, SUMAN Group supports one of the UK's leading Chinese cultural events while helping to strengthen cultural, commercial and community connections between China and the United Kingdom.
Festival Highlights
- One of the UK's largest Chinese cultural festivals
- Competitive Dragon Boat Racing
- More than 50 participating teams
- Traditional Chinese cultural performances
- Street food and family entertainment
- Exhibitor and community marketplace
- Free admission
- Official Salford Centenary Celebration Event
- Widely covered by Chinese and UK media