Dragon Boat Festival

For the last 20-plus years, the Dragon Boat races have painted Lake Banook a nice shade of rainbow every summer in the name of the Nova Scotia Amateur Sport Fund. But, dragon boating has been a Chinese tradition for over 2,000 years, taking place in countries across the world. The Dartmouth version of the race gathers teams of 22—and you don't have to be an expert paddler—to put their best stroke forward in the name of charity. The cherry on top? Once you're done cheering (or paddling) there's a full day of activities to enjoy, from food to entertainment, games, kids' stuff and vendors.