People living in Guangzhou may be hearing the sound of drums pounding across rivers these days, as this year's Dragon Boat Festival is just around the corner. The Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional and important celebration on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, which falls on June 10 this year.

In Guangzhou, dragon boat racing is the central custom of the festival, along with other customs such as making zongzi (sticky rice wrapped in leaves) and enjoying dragon boat banquets. Locals can spend an entire month training for races and preparing for the festival.

Every year the Guangzhou government invites local and overseas dragon boat teams to participate in the International Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament. This year, the tournament will be held on June 16 on the Pearl River from the north square of Sun Yat-sen University to the Guangzhou Bridge. It will be the most popular event of the dragon boat season, so make sure you don't miss it!

For those wishing to watch more dragon boat races and parades, please refer to the guide below.

June 6

Lianxi (莲溪) village, Tianhe district

Shixi (石溪) village, Tianhe district

Huangcun (黄村) village, Tianhe district

Zhucun (珠村) village, Tianhe district

Banghu (蚌湖) village, Baiyun district

June 7

Bio Island, Guanzhou (官洲) village, Haizhu district

June 8

Shipai (石牌) village, Tianhe district

Chebei (车陂) village, Tianhe district

Yahu (鸦湖) village, Baiyun district

June 8-10

Haizhu National Wetland Park, Haizhu district

June 9

Nansha Wetland Park, Nansha district

Dasha (大沙) River, Haizhong (海中) village, Liwan district

June 10

Lychee Bay, Liwan district

Jiaomen River (蕉门河), Nansha district

Shitan (石滩) town, Zengcheng district

Liede (猎德) village, Tianhe district

Yangji (杨箕) village, Tianhe district

Longhu (龙湖) village, Baiyun district

Yagang (鸦岗) village, Baiyun district

Hengsha (横沙) village, Baiyun district

June 11

Baiyun Lake Park (east lake), Baiyun district

Huadi (花地) River Shaxi (沙溪) section, Liwan district

June 12

Gaozeng (高增) village, Baiyun district

June 15

Huadi River, Dongjiao Bridge (东漖大桥) to Jiansha water gate (剑沙水闸) section, Liwan district

Chajiao (茶滘) village, Liwan district

Donglang (东塱) village, Liwan district

Shaluo (沙洛) village, Liwan district

Nanjiao (南漖) village, Liwan district

June 16

International Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament

north square of Sun Yat-sen University to the Guangzhou Bridge

June 29

The Pearl River (Haixinsha Square section), Tianhe district

Liuxi River (Jin'ou Square section金瓯广场), Conghua district