By Chris Hagan
Review Staff Writer
Thousands of people from all over Southeastern Michigan descended upon downtown Lake Orion for the annual Dragon on the Lake festival this weekend.
Now in its seventh year, the three-day event boasted an array of new activities aimed at entertainment with an emphasis around art. Broadway Street was inhabited with artists displaying their talents through the means of chalk, clay, paint, and pottery.
A first for DOTL and what hopes to be an annual tradition was the family night in Greens Park. Close to 300 people gathered around a large inflatable movie screen to view the very fitting ‘How to Train Your Dragon.?
Party on the Point was another successful fundraising event for the Orion Art Center of which 120 people showed for food, music, and entertainment.
‘The attendance was phenomenal for the festival and I can only imagine what it could’ve been if it wasn’t raining,? DOTL Coordinator and OAC Director James Jenkins said. ‘We’re looking to plus that up for next year and hopefully put in some more entertainment for families too.?
An unexpected guest, Mother Nature, did make an appearance on Saturday bringing in spurts of heavy rain and high humidity. Though the weather wasn’t favorable, it didn’t stop people from perusing the vendor tents and participating in the Dragon LOve Lip Dub.
The coordinators of the ‘dub? partnered with the Lake Orion Police Department to close roads to make for the one continuous video possible. The camera was mounted to a flying drone piloted by ONTV Studio Manager Joe Johnson and after a couple ‘technical difficulties,? they were able to get the entire lip dub completed in just two takes.
But the big draw to the event was the iconic Dragon Boat Races hosted in Greens Park on the third and final day. The boats, which are over 40-feet in length and can cost north of $10,000, were stocked with twenty-nine teams.
After three competitive heats, the Anahata Dragon Boat team from Lansing won and a close second was the team representing BYT Crossfit. The Anahata team gets to keep a traveling Dragon statue, symbolic of the champion, for the next year.
‘The trophy is in Lansing for the year and we have to get it back. We’d be happy to add some more teams,? Jenkins said. ‘Right now we want make it 33 teams and that would be about the max and still be a great time.?
Rob Flanders, captain of the Anahata Dragons team, said members are from Lansing. It’s the team’s third year competing in Lake Orion. Last year they finished third.
Flanders said team members enjoy going to races and competed earlier this year in Chicago. .
‘We had so much fun that we put money together a few years ago and bought a boat. It’s our fourth season.?
Flanders said the team faced some handicaps this weekend when several of its paddlers could not make it to Lake Orion.
‘We had 22 on our roster but several had to drop out. So, we raced with 16 paddlers. ?
Flanders, 69, was the oldest in the boat. The youngest was the drummer, age 16.
Asked what Anahata means, Flanders said it is a Sanscrit word meaning ‘heart energy system?
On the back of the team members? shirt, it stated: ‘Body, mind, heart, paddle.?
Although the weather was an ever-changing factor on the weekend, washing away some of the chalk drawings, many were re-done or saved.
Nicholas Harding won for best chalk art theme and even donated his $100 price back to the Orion Art Center.
Jenkins is looking at bringing in even more artists for next year that would to help build up the Artists Row on Broadway Street. He’s looking at staffing the area with more entertaining and engaging artist to help draw people in.
‘I want to being in even more interactive art where you have artist not only selling their pieces but creating right in front of people,? he said. ‘We want to have someone doing blacksmithing or glass blowing, something that’s live.?
All funds from the festival go to the Orion Art Center. The OAC board also makes an annual donation to local cancer related charities from a percentage of the profits from the dragon boat races. The Orion Art Center celebrates 36 years holding classes and camps, providing youth scholarships, hosting special events and producing the annual Dragon on the Lake Festival.