Sunday 6th September 2026
Tonbridge Lions Club invites the community to line the riverbanks on Sunday 6th September 2026 for the 13th Tonbridge Lions Dragon Boat Race, one of the highlights of the town’s summer.
From 9:00am to around 4:30pm, thirty teams will go head to head in brightly decorated dragon boats along a 200-metre course on the River Medway, in the heart of Tonbridge at Castle Walk and Baron’s Walk. Each team races at least three times, with the fastest boats battling it out in a Grand Final, followed by a trophy and medal ceremony. There is also a Best Dressed Team competition, so expect plenty of colour and costumes along the water.
Entry for spectators is completely free. Families are welcome to come along, cheer on the crews, enjoy the riverside stalls and soak up the atmosphere. Every penny raised on the day supports the Tonbridge Lions Club’s charitable work in the local community.
All thirty team places for 2026 have already been snapped up, a sign of just how popular the event has become, so this year the focus is firmly on welcoming spectators to enjoy the spectacle. We’re also delighted that the Mayor of Tonbridge and Malling, Cllr Kim Tanner, will be joining us in the morning.
“The Dragon Boat Race is one of the proudest days in our calendar, and it’s become a real fixture for the town,” said Patricia Rocha Jordan, Race Director. “It’s a brilliant, free family day out, and the support from the community and our local businesses is what makes it possible. We’d love to see as many people as possible down by the river cheering the teams on.”
The event is run by Tonbridge Lions Club in partnership with Dragon Boat Events, a professional race operator who manages all the on-water activity.