Bu-Tai-Tian “Not too Sweet” Dessert Nights Tickets go on sale Tuesday May 21st at 9 AM PDT
XCome and experience a brand new festival at Lan Su Chinese Garden this June!
We're celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival, also known as "Duanwu" (端午), with a traditional rice dumpling cultural talk, a stunning, 40-ft long dragon boat display, and the family-friendly Nights of the Dragon Boat nighttime festivities.
Immerse yourself in the joy and vibrancy of Chinese culture with cultural fun facts, traditional performances, lantern displays, and plenty of interactive activities for all ages. Don't miss out on the festivities and excitement of this traditional Chinese summer festival at Lan Su!
Get ready to be awestruck at Lan Su's Lake Zither— a fully-dressed Taiwanese dragon boat, an astounding 40 feet in length! Immerse yourself in vibrant colors, intricate designs, and cultural symbolism adorning this incredible vessel. The access to this display is free with daytime admission or ticket to Nights of the Dragon Boat event.
Join local cultural experts to delve into the customs, stories, and food of the Dragon Boat Festival. Participants discover dragon boat racing origins, zongzi symbolism, and captivating legends of Qu Yuan.
June 16: The legend And Anecdote of the Dragon on The Willamette River »
June 23: Zongzi: Traditional Food of Dragon Boat Festival »
These two culture talk programs are free with daytime admission. No registration needed.
Join us for a family-friendly evening festival celebrating the Dragon Boat tradition! Experience the mesmerizing dragon dance, participate in a community dragon art activity, and witness the debut of the stunning "carp leaps over Dragon Gate" lantern. Please note that these enchanting evening events require separate tickets for entry. Learn More »
The Dragon Boat Festival, or Duanwu (端午) in Chinese, is a traditional holiday in China, celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month in the lunar calendar. It commemorates poet and minister Qu Yuan, who drowned himself in protest against corrupt officials. To prevent fish and evil spirits from eating his body, villagers threw rice dumplings into the river as a form of sacrifice.
One aspect of the festival is the use of five colors, which are believed to have protective properties. The colors are typically seen in the form of five-color silk threads or five-color rice. The five colors are black, white, red, yellow, and green. Each of the five colors represents one of the five basic elements: White for metal, green for wood, black for water, red for fire, and yellow for earth.
Today, the festival is celebrated with dragon boat races and the eating of zongzi, sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves, as well as other special dishes. It is also celebrated in other parts of Asia, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
2023 Dragon Boat Festival and related events at Lan Su are presented by:
Lan Su Chinese Garden is a proud participant in Museums for All program and now offers reduced rate admission at $3 per person to all EBT cardholders.
For as little as $60 a year enjoy unlimited visits to Lan Su, 10% off at the Garden Shop and Garden Teahouse (exclusions apply) and member pricing on special events like Lunar New Year Lantern Viewing Evenings.
Become a volunteer at Portland's iconic Chinese garden! Over 100 volunteers support Lan Su's operations, cultural programs, horticulture, and garden upkeep.
239 Northwest Everett Street, Portland, Oregon 97209
Call Us: 503.228.8131
Lan Su Chinese Garden
38 NW Davis St #260, Portland, OR 97209
Members, donors and visitors help keep Lan Su healthy and growing. Lan Su is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and all donations and memberships are tax deductible. Lan Su’s Federal Tax ID number (EIN) is 93-1296840.