Dragon Boat Fest called off due to wildfire smoke

Poor air quality due to wildfires burning across Montana has led organizers to cancel the annual Montana Dragon Boat Festival in Lakeside this weekend.

“We’re extremely disappointed to have to cancel the event,” said Diane Medler, Kalispell Convention & Visitor Bureau director in a press statement.

“Unfortunately, we have fallen victim to the mercy of Mother Nature, and the air quality in the area has become too compromised to hold the event.”

The CVB organizes the annual dragon boat festival with Elemental Dragon Boat, Ltd.

Northwest Montana is not alone in this issue, according to the CVB. Two other dragon boat events in western Canada were recently canceled as well.

Although the Montana Dragon Boat Festival refund policy states that the window for issuing refunds has passed, the Kalispell CVB has offered to defer 100 percent of the registration fee and hold all of the teams’ spots for the 2018 festival. Teams can also choose to receive a 50 percent refund of this year’s registration fee.

“Our entire community is incredibly disappointed we cannot host the players this year. It is our favorite event of the season,” Medler added. “We’ll begin planning right away for the 2018 event that will hopefully provide Flathead Valley’s usual clear skies and beautiful mountain scenery for our paddlers.”