The Ice Dragon Boat Festival will be taking place in Sylvan Lake from Feb. 14 to Feb. 16.
For the event, safety is the number one priority, special events coordinator Denise Papineau said.
"That includes town staff, event contractors, and event attendees."
The event was cancelled in 2024 due to safety concerns, which is something the town always prioritizes.
"To mitigate the community feeling the impact of a full event cancellation, we have rounded out the festival and incorporated more components to move forward with an event if a cancellation of the ice dragon boat races were to occur," Papineau added.
Currently, 22 teams are registered to participate in the races for the event.
"Registration is open until Jan. 31 and we hope to see a few more register before registration closes," Papineau said.
Registration is $850 per team.
Rules and regulations are based on the category the team is registering in for the event.
More information can be found on the website, visitsylvanlake.ca/dragonboats.
The Ice Dragon Boat Festival is a great opportunity to see a sport not commonly showcased in Western Canada, Papineau said.
"This highlights our beautiful natural resources of the lake and surrounding sports, activities, and climate Lakers all know and love."
Along with the boat races there will also be other activities for all ages to enjoy including face painting, smores, hot dog roasting, winter-themed characters and entertainment, crafts, snow fun, lakeside music, fire shows, and fireworks.
"There will be lots to see and do. Even though the Ice Dragon Boats are ice depth and safety dependant the all-encompassing activities planned on the event weekend will still be taking place and encourage everyone to come on down," Papineau said.
Information on events is regularly updated on the Town of Sylvan Lake website, and the Visit Sylvan Lake website and socials.