With the Dragon Boat Festival just around the corner, Dongsha Lake has turned into a vibrant stage of racing boats and cheering crowds. Riding on the improved waterfront ecology made possible by the city’s “Five-Water Co-Governance” initiative, the Fourth Dongsha Lake Small-Boat Race recently kicked off in Yipeng, Qiantang District. The event featured four categories—family kayaking, double kayaking, traditional small-boat sculling, and dragon boat racing—drawing hundreds of local residents and water sports enthusiasts for an early dose of holiday spirit.

In the run-up to the race, small sculling boats and dragon boats took to the water in staggered trial runs, with teams seizing every minute to sharpen their rhythm and coordination. Along the shore, kayakers leaned over their craft, fine-tuning equipment and carefully sizing up the course. When the starting gun fired, the family kayak race got things underway, with groups of four families setting off at a time. Parents and children paddled side by side in the same boat, pushing forward through the shimmering waves. At the turns, a few families wobbled and splashed water all over themselves, sending everyone into fits of laughter. “Watching these kids paddle with their parents—it’s even more fun than being out there myself,” said an elderly spectator on the bank, beaming.

Off the water, the intangible-cultural-heritage fair and local farm-produce bazaar were just as bustling. The air was thick with the warm, sweet scent of Shadi printed rice cakes and mung bean pastries, while fresh fruit stalls drew long queues of visitors, many of whom had clearly come for the eats as much as the event. “Dongsha Lake gets more beautiful every year, and the race gets more flavorful every year,” said a participant who has competed in all four editions.

“We have more racers than previous editions’. Through this integrated model that blends sports, folk culture, and local spending, we hope to bring more people to Yipeng through the race—and make them fall in love with Yipeng once they’re here—so that the East Sand Lake Small-Boat Race truly becomes a signature showcase of Qiantang’s vibrant waterfront life and the fruits of our nationwide fitness push,” said a representative from the Yipeng Subdistrict office.