Photo Credit: Elizaveta Son

The Dragon Boat Festival is one of China’s oldest and most cherished holidays, and the first traditional Chinese holiday to be recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This year, Glow Cultural Center proudly partnered with the New York College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hanfu NYC, and Lynra Foundation to host our 3rd Annual Dragon Boat Festival “Duanwu Jie” Cultural Fair on May 31st, right here in Flushing!

Photo Credit: Elizaveta Son

This free event brought together over 100 families and welcomed a crowd of more than 260 attendees representing more than a dozen zip codes across New York City, all eager to experience the joy and wisdom of this age-old celebration. Around 61% of attendees provided demographic data that indicated that average household was 3.2 and 75% of attendees came from low to moderate income households.

Our festival centerpiece was the beloved “Fun Passport” game! Participants engaged in hands-on fun by visiting various booths, where they discovered the deeper meanings behind many Dragon Boat Festival customs while collecting stamps on their Fun passports. At the Craft Station, guests created colorful Five-Color Bracelets (五彩繩, Wǔcǎi Shéng) using threads that represent protection and the Five Elements. The Calligraphy Corner (書法, Shūfǎ) invited visitors to try their hand at brush writing the characters for metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—an art that reflects balance and inner harmony. Over at the Paper Cutting Booth (剪紙, Jiǎnzhǐ), families enjoyed folding and cutting symbolic designs, learning about this cherished tradition of folk art. The Game Zone featured “Shoot the Five Poisons (射五毒, Shè Wǔ Dú),” a playful yet meaningful activity rooted in folklore that aims to drive away bad luck. Participants also lined up for Chinese Face Painting (画额, Huà É), where they were adorned with beautiful flower forehead motifs once worn by noblewomen in ancient China. Finally, at the Traditional Chinese Medicine Booth (中醫, Zhōngyī), visitors took a self-assessment quiz to identify their body constitution and received advice on how to maintain balance through Yin and Yang. Each station offered a unique way to learn, play, and connect with Chinese heritage in an interactive and joyful environment.

Photo Credit: Elizaveta Son

Our ever-popular Zongzi (粽子) making workshop taught over 40 families how to wrap these delicious glutinous rice dumplings for the very first time—an essential Dragon Boat Festival tradition! The New York College of Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors also provided over 20 free consultations, offering pulse readings and wellness advice rooted in centuries of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

With over 260 attendees of all ages, and a full day of interactive, educational, and festive activities, this year’s Duanwu Jie Cultural Fair was a huge success! Thank you to all our volunteers, supporters, and participating families who made this event so special.

Resource Fair |Photo Credit: Elizaveta Son

This event was made possible through the generous support of the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF), and the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes (OPHC). We are especially grateful to OPHC for supporting this event under their vision of “Bringing Communities Together”—a mission that aligns deeply with our goal of fostering cultural understanding and unity.

A heartfelt thank-you to our co-organizers: New York College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hanfu NYC, and Lynra Foundation, whose collaboration helped bring these cultural traditions to life!

Here’s to a vibrant start to the summer—and to preserving and celebrating cultural heritage together!

Media Links: Photos Here!