The Dragons Return To The Tennessee

Sep. 14, 2016

Michelle Eubanks, UNA, at media@una.edu, 256.765.4392 or 256.606.2033

FLORENCE, AL - On Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, the dragon boats return to the Tennessee River as part of the fourth annual Shoals Dragon Boat Festival. The 2015 event was a huge success, with 27 boats racing and more than 4,000 in attendance to cheer on their favorite teams, enjoy a beautiful day on the water and take in the excitement of this one-of-a-kind event in the Shoals. This year's event has 33 boats registered, and promises to be bigger and better than ever. Dr. Chris James, who joined the Kilby faculty as director in 2015, is excited to participate in the event once again. "This will be my second time to participate in the Shoals Dragon Boat Festival and I can't wait," says James. "I had heard so many great things about the event before last year and they were all true." The family-friendly festival offers food vendors, a "kids zone," a lunchtime performance by the UNA Drumline and a drummer parade for folks to vote for their favorite team drummers. James hopes people in the Shoals will come out and enjoy the day. "Whether you choose to paddle as part of a team or enjoy the day as a spectator, we hope to see you there. This is truly a unique event that offers a family-friendly, competitive environment in support of education." Proceeds from this year's festival will go towards Kilby's new makerspace. Housed in the school media center, the new "Leo Lab" will offer 3-D printing, robotics, green screen recording space and more. "We are excited about moving our library into this next phase," says James. "Kilby students and UNA education students will benefit from access to the latest educational technology." To find out more about the festival, visit shoalsdragonboatfestival.com. For details or to schedule an interview, please contact Carole Maynard at 256-765-5122 or cmmaynard@una.edu.