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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 6, 2005
Contact:  Annabelle Ruch
(713) 225-0514
akruch@aol.com
www.texasdragonboat.com
Photos available upon request

HOUSTON DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL PREPARES FOR 5TH ANNUAL EVENT

HOUSTON, TX – Plans are well under way for the 5th annual Houston Dragon Boat Festival.  The Texas Dragon Boat Association extends an invitation to the entire
Community to the festivities on Saturday, May 7th at Allen's Landing in downtown Houston from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Admission is FREE.

Corporate and community teams of 20 paddlers, a drummer and a steersman race 40-foot-long decorated dragon boats in competition for the revered “Dragon Cup”.

Festival Honorary Co-Chairs, George DeMontrond and Houston City Councilmember Gordon Quan are welcoming new and returning teams every day.  ConocoPhillips, Continental Airlines, El Paso, HEB, Houston Astros, Houston Rockets/Comets, JPMorgan Chase, Kroger, Lighting Associates Inc., MetroBank, Randall's, St. Luke's Episcopal Health System, Silver Eagle Distributors, Singha Beer, Tara Energy & Washington Mutual are poised to paddle to victory in the Corporate Division. The Asia Society Texas, City of Houston, Houston Asian Junior Chamber of Commerce & Houston Police Department are ready to take on challengers in the Community Cup division.

The Festival Market offers a food court with both Asian cuisine and fun festival food.  The diverse marketplace hosts artists, crafts, non-profit organizations and business exhibitors. The cultural entertainment stage is a crowd favorite.  Diverse Asian Entertainment includes Shaolin Praying Mantis Group, Pagkaka-Isa Filipino Dancers, Blend32 Hawaiian Cowboy Dancers, the Rockets Power Dancers, and more.

Both Honorary Co-Chairs recognize the positive impact dragon boating has on the Houston area."Now in its fifth year, the Houston Dragon Boat Festival has become part of the cultural and sporting tradition of Houston for all families to enjoy,” remarked DeMontrond, President of DeMontrond Automotive Group, who previously chaired Houston's Olympic bid. Councilmember Quan, who originally proposed the idea of dragon boating in Houston in 2001, commented, "The development of dragon boating in Houston is a dream come true.  It has far exceeded my expectation in five short years. It has brought together diverse communities to celebrate a Chinese tradition which has now become a Houston tradition."

On hand to help celebrate the occasion will be Houston Texans linebacker Kailee Wong, former Houston Oilers quarterback Oliver Luck and Houston City Councilmember Carol Alvarado.

For more information, contact TDBA Executive Director Dr. Caroline Long at 832-687-7208; or visit the website www.texasdragonboat.com.

The Texas Dragon Boat Association is a Texas non-profit corporation established to promote the tradition and sport of dragon boating, to increase awareness of Asian and Asian American culture, and enhance cross-cultural understanding. TDBA is currently seeking sponsors, teams, and volunteers for the May 7, 2005 Houston Dragon Boat Festival in downtown Houston and the October 22-23, 2005 Gulf Coast International
Dragon Boat Regatta, which is officially sanctioned as the American Dragon Boat Association's 2005 Central Region Championship.

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