Portland, OR. The Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association (PKSCA) board has canceled the 2021 Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race season. Following the Covid-19 guidelines issued by Oregon Health Authority that large outdoor gathering activity is still not recommended under the current pandemic risk level assessment for the Portland Metro area. (The Dragon Boat Eye Dotting Ceremony seen above usually takes place on the last Saturday of March.)
“We are very hopeful that the risk of pandemic will be greatly improved with increasing level of vaccination coverage and continue observing the safety guidelines from the Health Authority,” says Chi-Chao Chen – President, PKSCA. “We are looking forward to a strong comeback of the Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race season in 2022.”
In lieu of the Dragon Boat Eye Dotting Ceremony, PKSCA held a social distanced presentation, along with its key sponsor, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Seattle.
Dignitaries from the Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association and Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Seattle presented the Portland Rose Festival and Royal Rosarians with 80 personal pandemic care packs and 1,000 medical-grade masks.
The purpose of their visit was to donate 80 personal pandemic care packs and 1,000 medical-grade masks to the Portland Rose Festival Foundation and the Royal Rosarians. Members of the Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association wanted to show their continuous support to the Portland Rose Festival event and the local community during the pandemic.
In the past, 80 teams have competed in the Dragon Boat Races (including local, national, and international teams) with heats of four teams competing every nine minutes. These races are held on the Willamette River (near the Hawthorne Bridge), in boats provided through the Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association.
Popular programming like the Court and Porch Parade will continue this May & June, 2021. However, organizers say “Oregon isn’t quite ready yet for big outdoor events, and the health and safety of our community is still our top priority. The Rose Festival has been here for more than a century despite many challenges, and will be here when Oregon is ready for big outdoor events again as we start down the runway to the traditional Rose Festival in 2022.”
From the Rose Festival:
The Portland Rose Festival has inspired the public to gather and celebrate against a backdrop of historic external forces for the past 114 years. Hope Reigns as the 2021 Rose Festival demonstrates how our community can carry on traditions, honor diversity and celebrate unity. Although our streets will not be lined with friends and neighbors watching traditional events such as Grand Floral Parade, Starlight Parade, or Junior Parade, and Waterfront Park won’t be pulsating with carnival rides, concerts and corn dogs, Portlanders will continue to celebrate our floral heritage and community spirit by actively participating in the 2021 Porch Parade & Roses for Hope, and awaiting the ‘crowning moment’ of the new Rose Festival Queen.
Although Oregon is not quite ready for the return of big events in 2021, the Rose Festival is ready, and will be here to bring hope and joy this spring and summer, as we head down the runway to 2022!
Who:
Chi-Chao Chen – President, PKSCA
James Stahl – Treasurer, PKSCA
Daniel KC Chen – Director General, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Seattle
Hsiao-Chu Wu – Director, Cultural Center, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Seattle
David Todd – President, Portland Rose Festival Foundation
Jeff Curtis – CEO, Portland Rose Festival Foundation
Korrie Hoeckendorf – Prime Minister, Royal Rosarians
Dwight Terry – Lord High Chancellor, Royal Rosarians
