The countdown has begun for the 2026 Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival, with entries now open for teams ready to take on one of the city’s best-loved summer events. The festival returns to Willen Lake on Saturday 4 July 2026, bringing a full day of racing, family entertainment, and fundraising opportunities. The event celebrates dragonboats racing and offers businesses, charities, and community groups the chance to compete while raising money for causes they care about.
Organiser NewWave Events expects strong demand after the success of recent festivals. This year’s programme will feature dragon boat racing at its heart, while the festival site will host inflatables, a Dragon Workshop, a Lion Dance performance, face painters, caricaturists, and an opening flypast to launch the celebrations. Additionally, organisers have expanded opportunities for local charities, offering bookable stalls to help them engage supporters and increase donations.
A charity-focused festival
The 2026 festival is an official Open Charity Event, giving every team the chance to raise funds for an organisation they choose. Urban Battlefields has donated the top prize for the highest-fundraising crew, adding extra motivation for teams supporting local and national causes.
NewWave Events will also award trophies for:
- The top three fastest crews
- The best-placed mixed crew, with at least five female paddlers
- The team raising the greatest amount for charity
- The best-dressed crew
Medals will be presented to every member of the top three finishing teams.
Team packages and entry details
Dragon boat racing continues to grow across the UK, and no experience is required to take part. Each crew includes ten paddlers, a drummer to keep rhythm, and a professional helm supplied by the organisers. Standard entry costs £750 + VAT, with optional Silver and Gold packages for teams seeking additional benefits, including gazebos and private catering.
To support charities further, festival organisers are offering a limited number of stalls for local non-profit organisations.
“This is our biggest and most exciting festival line-up yet,” said Alicja Mierzejewska at NewWave Events. “Between the racing, the family entertainment, the glory of the trophies, and the chance for teams to support any charity they choose, it’s going to be an unforgettable summer Saturday. We can’t wait to see you on the water.”
How to enter
Teams and charities can find full details and register online at the official website: dragonboatevents.co.uk/milton-keynes-dragon-boat-festival.
The 2026 festival is supported by media partners MKFM, MK Pulse Magazine, and Business MK, who will help share team stories and fundraising activity across the region.
