Dragon Boat Festival
Before the Drums Start
The dock was empty. The dragon boats still. The sun hadn’t cleared the treeline yet — but the light was already working, catching the painted scales on the nearest bow, turning the mist on the water gold.
This is the window. Before the volunteers arrive. Before the event becomes an event. The story starts here.
The People Who Make It Happen
Not the race. Not the podium. The volunteer at the drum, keeping rhythm for a boat full of paddlers counting on her. The quiet conversations on the dock. The embrace between two women who hadn’t seen each other since last year.
These are the images most people never see.
