The Water Hour Archives - Pause the World for Peace

PHOTO & INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES

Coach training and instructional demonstrations

Dragon boats on the water during practice sessions

Interviews with coaches and team leaders

New and returning teams preparing for competition

Festival organizers discussing the upcoming 2026 season

Scenic waterfront action shots from Meadow Lake

Team-building and athlete development activities

EVENT BACKGROUND

The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York returns to Flushing Meadows Corona Park on August 8–9, 2026, bringing together hundreds of teams and thousands of spectators for one of the largest dragon boat racing events in North America.

The Coach Clinic plays an important role in preparing team leaders for a successful racing season while promoting athlete safety, competitive excellence, and community engagement. Teams continue to train throughout the summer leading up to the Festival’s two days of racing, cultural performances, food, and family-friendly activities.

Community members interested in participating can still register a team, join an existing crew, volunteer, become a sponsor, or support the festival as a community partner.

ABOUT THE HONG KONG DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL IN NEW YORK

The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York is the premier dragon boat racing event in the United States, celebrating athletic competition, cultural heritage, community engagement, and international friendship. Each year, the festival brings together thousands of participants and spectators for a weekend of racing, entertainment, food, and cultural programming in the heart of Queens.

For more information, visit www.hkdbf-ny.org

Stowe, who spent a record 1,152 consecutive days at sea without touching land, now takes aspiring astronauts, engineers and space scientists on ocean voyages designed to test the resilience, self-reliance and mental toughness needed for deep-space travel.

“In the space community it’s called analog training,” he explained. “You’re not actually in space, but you’re recreating many of the same physical and psychological challenges.”

Unlike large ships, Stowe says a small sailboat leaves people exposed to isolation, confinement, uncertainty and the constant need to solve problems with limited resources — conditions he believes closely mirror life aboard a spacecraft headed for Mars.

In fact, Stowe believes sea voyages and missions to Mars are so similar — in both duration and the psychological challenges they present — that he named his record-setting expedition “Mars Ocean Odyssey.”

Many of the people he trains hope to work in space exploration as engineers, astrobiologists or future astronauts. Stowe says some specifically want ocean experience on their résumés because future Mars crews will need people capable of building, repairing and maintaining equipment while living in extreme isolation.

According to Stowe, humans could reach Mars within the next 10 to 15 years — and the 72-year-old even believes he could still be around to captain the first crewed mission himself. “I believe I am the most qualified person to captain the first crewed mission to Mars,” he said, adding, “That’s still one of my goals.”

The unusual career marks a dramatic second act for Stowe, who was once part of Manhattan’s legendary 1980s art scene. Basquiat admired him enough to paint a life-size portrait of him in 1985, writing “Reid” across the canvas before giving it to him.

立春 Risshun (Beginning of spring)
February 4–8	東風解凍 Harukaze kōri o toku	East wind melts the ice
February 9–13	黄鶯睍睆 Kōō kenkan su	Bush warblers start singing in the mountains
February 14–18	魚上氷 Uo kōri o izuru	Fish emerge from the ice
雨水 Usui (Rainwater)
February 19–23	土脉潤起 Tsuchi no shō uruoi okoru	Rain moistens the soil
February 24–28	霞始靆 Kasumi hajimete tanabiku	Mist starts to linger
March 1–5	草木萌動 Sōmoku mebae izuru	Grass sprouts, trees bud
啓蟄 Keichitsu (Insects awaken)
March 6–10	蟄虫啓戸 Sugomori mushito o hiraku	Hibernating insects surface
March 11–15	桃始笑 Momo hajimete saku	First peach blossoms
March 16–20	菜虫化蝶 Namushi chō to naru	Caterpillars become butterflies
春分 Shunbun (Spring equinox)
March 21–25	雀始巣 Suzume hajimete sukū	Sparrows start to nest
March 26–30	櫻始開 Sakura hajimete saku	First cherry blossoms
March 31–April 4	雷乃発声 Kaminari sunawachi koe o hassu	Distant thunder
清明 Seimei (Pure and clear)
April 5–9	玄鳥至 Tsubame kitaru	Swallows return
April 10–14	鴻雁北 Kōgan kaeru	Wild geese fly north
April 15–19	虹始見 Niji hajimete arawaru	First rainbows
穀雨 Kokuu (Grain rains)
April 20–24	葭始生 Ashi hajimete shōzu	First reeds sprout
April 25–29	霜止出苗 Shimo yamite nae izuru	Last frost, rice seedlings grow
April 30–May 4	牡丹華 Botan hana saku	Peonies bloom
立夏 Rikka (Beginning of summer)
May 5–9	蛙始鳴 Kawazu hajimete naku	Frogs start singing
May 10–14	蚯蚓出 Mimizu izuru	Worms surface
May 15–20	竹笋生 Takenoko shōzu	Bamboo shoots sprout
小満 Shōman (Lesser ripening)
May 21–25	蚕起食桑 Kaiko okite kuwa o hamu	Silkworms start feasting on mulberry leaves
May 26–30	紅花栄 Benibana sakau	Safflowers bloom
May 31–June 5	麦秋至 Mugi no toki itaru	Wheat ripens and is harvested
芒種 Bōshu (Grain beards and seeds)
June 6–10	蟷螂生 Kamakiri shōzu	Praying mantises hatch
June 11–15	腐草為螢 Kusaretaru kusa hotaru to naru	Rotten grass becomes fireflies
June 16–20	梅子黄 Ume no mi kibamu	Plums turn yellow
夏至 Geshi (Summer solstice)
June 21–26	乃東枯 Natsukarekusa karuru	Self-heal withers
June 27–July 1	菖蒲華 Ayame hana saku	Irises bloom
July 2–6	半夏生 Hange shōzu	Crow-dipper sprouts
小暑 Shōsho (Lesser heat)
July 7–11	温風至 Atsukaze itaru	Warm winds blow
July 12–16	蓮始開 Hasu hajimete hiraku	First lotus blossoms
July 17–22	鷹乃学習 Taka sunawachi waza o narau	Hawks learn to fly
大暑 Taisho (Greater heat)
July 23–28	桐始結花 Kiri hajimete hana o musubu	Paulownia trees produce seeds
July 29–August 2	土潤溽暑 Tsuchi uruōte mushi atsushi	Earth is damp, air is humid
August 3–7	大雨時行 Taiu tokidoki furu	Great rains sometimes fall
立秋 Risshū (Beginning of autumn)
August 8–12	涼風至 Suzukaze itaru	Cool winds blow
August 13–17	寒蝉鳴 Higurashi naku	Evening cicadas sing
August 18–22	蒙霧升降 Fukaki kiri matō	Thick fog descends
処暑 Shosho (Manageable heat)
August 23–27	綿柎開 Wata no hana shibe hiraku	Cotton flowers bloom
August 28–September 1	天地始粛 Tenchi hajimete samushi	Heat starts to die down
September 2–7	禾乃登 Kokumono sunawachi minoru	Rice ripens
白露 Hakuro (White dew)
September 8–12	草露白 Kusa no tsuyu shiroshi	Dew glistens white on grass
September 13–17	鶺鴒鳴 Sekirei naku	Wagtails sing
September 18–22	玄鳥去 Tsubame saru	Swallows leave
秋分 Shūbun (Autumn equinox)
September 23–27	雷乃収声 Kaminari sunawachi koe o osamu	Thunder ceases
September 28–October 2	蟄虫坏戸 Mushi kakurete to o fusagu	Insects hole up underground
October 3–7	水始涸 Mizu hajimete karuru	Farmers drain fields
寒露 Kanro (Cold dew)
October 8–12	鴻雁来 Kōgan kitaru	Wild geese return
October 13–17	菊花開 Kiku no hana hiraku	Chrysanthemums bloom
October 18–22	蟋蟀在戸 Kirigirisu to ni ari	Crickets chirp around the door
霜降 Sōkō (Frost falls)
October 23–27	霜始降 Shimo hajimete furu	First frost
October 28–November 1	霎時施 Kosame tokidoki furu	Light rains sometimes fall
November 2–6	楓蔦黄 Momiji tsuta kibamu	Maple leaves and ivy turn yellow
立冬 Rittō (Beginning of winter)
November 7–11	山茶始開 Tsubaki hajimete hiraku	Camellias bloom
November 12–16	地始凍 Chi hajimete kōru	Land starts to freeze
November 17–21	金盞香 Kinsenka saku	Daffodils bloom
小雪 Shōsetsu (Lesser snow)
November 22–26	虹蔵不見 Niji kakurete miezu	Rainbows hide
November 27–December 1	朔風払葉 Kitakaze konoha o harau	North wind blows the leaves from the trees
December 2–6	橘始黄 Tachibana hajimete kibamu	Tachibana citrus tree leaves start to turn yellow
大雪 Taisetsu (Greater snow)
December 7–11	閉塞成冬 Sora samuku fuyu to naru	Cold sets in, winter begins
December 12–16	熊蟄穴 Kuma ana ni komoru	Bears start hibernating in their dens
December 17–21	鱖魚群 Sake no uo muragaru	Salmon gather and swim upstream
冬至 Tōji (Winter solstice)
December 22–26	乃東生 Natsukarekusa shōzu	Self-heal sprouts
December 27–31	麋角解 Sawashika no tsuno otsuru	Deer shed antlers
January 1–4	雪下出麦 Yuki watarite mugi nobiru	Wheat sprouts under snow
小寒 Shōkan (Lesser cold)
January 5–9	芹乃栄 Seri sunawachi sakau	Parsley flourishes
January 10–14	水泉動 Shimizu atataka o fukumu	Springs thaw
January 15–19	雉始雊 Kiji hajimete naku	Pheasants start to call
大寒 Daikan (Greater cold)
January 20–24	款冬華 Fuki no hana saku	Butterburs bud
January 25–29	水沢腹堅 Sawamizu kōri tsumeru	Ice thickens on streams
January 30–February 3	鶏始乳 Niwatori hajimete toya ni tsuku	Hens start laying eggs

立春 Risshun (Beginning of spring)

February 4–8

東風解凍 Harukaze kōri o toku

East wind melts the ice

February 9–13

黄鶯睍睆 Kōō kenkan su

Bush warblers start singing in the mountains

February 14–18

魚上氷 Uo kōri o izuru

Fish emerge from the ice

雨水 Usui (Rainwater)

February 19–23

土脉潤起 Tsuchi no shō uruoi okoru

Rain moistens the soil

February 24–28

霞始靆 Kasumi hajimete tanabiku

Mist starts to linger

March 1–5

草木萌動 Sōmoku mebae izuru

Grass sprouts, trees bud

啓蟄 Keichitsu (Insects awaken)

March 6–10

蟄虫啓戸 Sugomori mushito o hiraku

Hibernating insects surface

March 11–15

桃始笑 Momo hajimete saku

First peach blossoms

March 16–20

菜虫化蝶 Namushi chō to naru

Caterpillars become butterflies

春分 Shunbun (Spring equinox)

March 21–25

雀始巣 Suzume hajimete sukū

Sparrows start to nest

March 26–30

櫻始開 Sakura hajimete saku

First cherry blossoms

March 31–April 4

雷乃発声 Kaminari sunawachi koe o hassu

Distant thunder

清明 Seimei (Pure and clear)

April 5–9

玄鳥至 Tsubame kitaru

Swallows return

April 10–14

鴻雁北 Kōgan kaeru

Wild geese fly north

April 15–19

虹始見 Niji hajimete arawaru

First rainbows

穀雨 Kokuu (Grain rains)

April 20–24

葭始生 Ashi hajimete shōzu

First reeds sprout

April 25–29

霜止出苗 Shimo yamite nae izuru

Last frost, rice seedlings grow

April 30–May 4

牡丹華 Botan hana saku

Peonies bloom

立夏 Rikka (Beginning of summer)

May 5–9

蛙始鳴 Kawazu hajimete naku

Frogs start singing

May 10–14

蚯蚓出 Mimizu izuru

Worms surface

May 15–20

竹笋生 Takenoko shōzu

Bamboo shoots sprout

小満 Shōman (Lesser ripening)

May 21–25

蚕起食桑 Kaiko okite kuwa o hamu

Silkworms start feasting on mulberry leaves

May 26–30

紅花栄 Benibana sakau

Safflowers bloom

May 31–June 5

麦秋至 Mugi no toki itaru

Wheat ripens and is harvested

芒種 Bōshu (Grain beards and seeds)

June 6–10

蟷螂生 Kamakiri shōzu

Praying mantises hatch

June 11–15

腐草為螢 Kusaretaru kusa hotaru to naru

Rotten grass becomes fireflies

June 16–20

梅子黄 Ume no mi kibamu

Plums turn yellow

夏至 Geshi (Summer solstice)

June 21–26

乃東枯 Natsukarekusa karuru

Self-heal withers

June 27–July 1

菖蒲華 Ayame hana saku

Irises bloom

July 2–6

半夏生 Hange shōzu

Crow-dipper sprouts

小暑 Shōsho (Lesser heat)

July 7–11

温風至 Atsukaze itaru

Warm winds blow

July 12–16

蓮始開 Hasu hajimete hiraku

First lotus blossoms

July 17–22

鷹乃学習 Taka sunawachi waza o narau

Hawks learn to fly

大暑 Taisho (Greater heat)

July 23–28

桐始結花 Kiri hajimete hana o musubu

Paulownia trees produce seeds

July 29–August 2

土潤溽暑 Tsuchi uruōte mushi atsushi

Earth is damp, air is humid

August 3–7

大雨時行 Taiu tokidoki furu

Great rains sometimes fall

立秋 Risshū (Beginning of autumn)

August 8–12

涼風至 Suzukaze itaru

Cool winds blow

August 13–17

寒蝉鳴 Higurashi naku

Evening cicadas sing

August 18–22

蒙霧升降 Fukaki kiri matō

Thick fog descends

処暑 Shosho (Manageable heat)

August 23–27

綿柎開 Wata no hana shibe hiraku

Cotton flowers bloom

August 28–September 1

天地始粛 Tenchi hajimete samushi

Heat starts to die down

September 2–7

禾乃登 Kokumono sunawachi minoru

Rice ripens

白露 Hakuro (White dew)

September 8–12

草露白 Kusa no tsuyu shiroshi

Dew glistens white on grass

September 13–17

鶺鴒鳴 Sekirei naku

Wagtails sing

September 18–22

玄鳥去 Tsubame saru

Swallows leave

秋分 Shūbun (Autumn equinox)

September 23–27

雷乃収声 Kaminari sunawachi koe o osamu

Thunder ceases

September 28–October 2

蟄虫坏戸 Mushi kakurete to o fusagu

Insects hole up underground

October 3–7

水始涸 Mizu hajimete karuru

Farmers drain fields

寒露 Kanro (Cold dew)

October 8–12

鴻雁来 Kōgan kitaru

Wild geese return

October 13–17

菊花開 Kiku no hana hiraku

Chrysanthemums bloom

October 18–22

蟋蟀在戸 Kirigirisu to ni ari

Crickets chirp around the door

霜降 Sōkō (Frost falls)

October 23–27

霜始降 Shimo hajimete furu

First frost

October 28–November 1

霎時施 Kosame tokidoki furu

Light rains sometimes fall

November 2–6

楓蔦黄 Momiji tsuta kibamu

Maple leaves and ivy turn yellow

立冬 Rittō (Beginning of winter)

November 7–11

山茶始開 Tsubaki hajimete hiraku

Camellias bloom

November 12–16

地始凍 Chi hajimete kōru

Land starts to freeze

November 17–21

金盞香 Kinsenka saku

Daffodils bloom

小雪 Shōsetsu (Lesser snow)

November 22–26

虹蔵不見 Niji kakurete miezu

Rainbows hide

November 27–December 1

朔風払葉 Kitakaze konoha o harau

North wind blows the leaves from the trees

December 2–6

橘始黄 Tachibana hajimete kibamu

Tachibana citrus tree leaves start to turn yellow

大雪 Taisetsu (Greater snow)

December 7–11

閉塞成冬 Sora samuku fuyu to naru

Cold sets in, winter begins

December 12–16

熊蟄穴 Kuma ana ni komoru

Bears start hibernating in their dens

December 17–21

鱖魚群 Sake no uo muragaru

Salmon gather and swim upstream

冬至 Tōji (Winter solstice)

December 22–26

乃東生 Natsukarekusa shōzu

Self-heal sprouts

December 27–31

麋角解 Sawashika no tsuno otsuru

Deer shed antlers

January 1–4

雪下出麦 Yuki watarite mugi nobiru

Wheat sprouts under snow

小寒 Shōkan (Lesser cold)

January 5–9

芹乃栄 Seri sunawachi sakau

Parsley flourishes

January 10–14

水泉動 Shimizu atataka o fukumu

Springs thaw

January 15–19

雉始雊 Kiji hajimete naku

Pheasants start to call

大寒 Daikan (Greater cold)

January 20–24

款冬華 Fuki no hana saku

Butterburs bud

January 25–29

水沢腹堅 Sawamizu kōri tsumeru

Ice thickens on streams

January 30–February 3

鶏始乳 Niwatori hajimete toya ni tsuku

Hens start laying eggs

NEXT UP: Concert/Show #960

Going down at the GSA Summit on June 10 in Miami, Florida! We’re keeping the momentum rolling—another step toward 1000 clean energy concerts!

Let’s keep pushing the movement forward!

This is history in the making.

Let’s electrify the world together!

Media Invited to Attend Coach Interviews and On-Water Training Sessions

EVENT DETAILS

PHOTO & INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT BACKGROUND

MEDIA RSVP

ABOUT THE HONG KONG DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL IN NEW YORK

A 30-year hunch

Two paths up the mountain

NEXT UP: Concert/Show #960