Dragon Day

YouTube artist ZHC to paint 40-foot dragon boat for Austin festival

More than 3,000 people are expected on Festival Beach on April 25 as 20 teams compete in the annual Austin Dragon Boat races.

Photo courtesy of The Lunar Foundation

Austin-based YouTuber Zachary Hsieh will turn a 40-foot dragon boat into a live canvas during the 26th annual Austin Dragon Boat Festival. He'll finish the piece in front of crowds at Festival Beach on April 25, before the boat heads to auction later that week.

Hsieh, originally from the Bay Area and known online as ZHC, is recognized for large-scale, brightly colored illustrations. He has more than 29.3 million YouTube subscribers and has built a massive following by turning custom artwork into spectacle. His projects include surprising influencers with illustrated iPhones, spending 100 hours painting a hospital while donating $200,000 toward medical bills, and gifting Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, a teal, hand-painted Tesla.

ZHC donates most of his artwork, and the dragon boat project will follow a similar path. He'll paint a full-size decommissioned dragon boat and donate it to the Lunar Foundation for auction. Bidding on the boat will continue through April 30. The opening bid on the boat will be $25,000.

The Austin Dragon Boat Festival, sponsored by The Lunar Foundation and Austin Asian American Cultural Center, is one of the city’s longest-running cultural celebrations. The free, all-ages event at Festival Beach (1621 Nash Hernandez Sr. Rd.) begins at 10 am, with dragon boat races scheduled throughout the day alongside performances and food.

Eye Painting Ceremony Participants paint the dragon’s eye during a traditional “eye-dotting” ceremony, a ritual believed to awaken the dragon and bring it to life ahead of the races.Courtesy of The Lunar Foundation

The festival traces its roots back more than 2,000 years to the legend of Qu Yuan, a Chinese poet and government official. According to the story, villagers raced out in boats to save him, beating drums to ward off fish and throwing rice into the water, a practice that evolved into modern dragon boat racing and the tradition of eating zongzi, rice dumplings wrapped in leaves.

About 20 rowing teams are expected to participate throughout the day. The festival's program includes an opening ceremony and traditional eye-dotting ritual, cultural performances, and a midday flower ceremony honoring breast cancer survivors.

This year's festival will feature performances from:

Food vendors will include Happy Lemon at The Linc, Junbi Matcha, Kessho, Red Dragon Bao, Si Baby-Q, and TLF Zongzi & Beverages. Zongzi is the Chinese rice dumpling traditionally tied to the Dragon Boat Festival.

Founded in 1999 by Amy Wong Mok, the Austin Dragon Boat Festival celebrates the traditional Chinese dragon boat holiday while highlighting Austin’s Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Teams can register to compete through April 10.

visual art festivals

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Round up the whole family and register for the Stampede 5K in Lariat

Photo courtesy of Laria

Be a part of the fun at Lariat.

Get ready to join the herd at the Lariat Stampede 5K on April 18 in Liberty Hill. It will be a scenic spring celebration of fitness, fun, and community.

Set against rolling Hill Country terrain, the event welcomes runners and walkers of all levels the scenic Lariat community with a chip-timed course and cash prizes. Pre-race festivities begin at 8 am, and the race kicks off at 9 am sharp. Participants are encouraged to register early, which you can do here.

Your registration includes entry into our chip-timed racecourse, the official Lariat Stampede 5K t-shirt, a custom race bib, and a signature finishers' medal. Stick around after you cross the line for family-friendly post-race celebrations full of community spirit.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the Top Overall Male and Female racers during the awards ceremony, which begins at 9:45 am. Here's what you could win:

1st place: $100
2nd place: $50
3rd place: $25
Stroller Strider 1st place: $25

Plus, there will be awards for the top male and female in each age group:14 and under, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60 and up.

Lariat Register to join now. Photo courtesy of Lariat

Beyond the race, the festival atmosphere includes a DJ, food and drinks, face painting, custom chain stitching, a petting zoo, new model homes to tour, and more.

Whether you’re chasing a personal best or enjoying family-friendly activities, the Lariat Stampede showcases outdoor living and community spirit.

If you've never been to Lariat, the Stampede 5K is the perfect time to experience this idyllic master-planned community. It's where tradition is valued, along with a slower-paced lifestyle.

Residents appreciate the community's strong sense of belonging and enjoy activities like fishing off of Lariat's private dock, playing frisbee (dogs are invited, too!), swimming at The Watering Hole, celebrating milestones, getting competitive on the sports court, or walking their kids to school at Lariat Trails Elementary (opening Fall 2026).

Lariat prides itself on helping people get back to the basics. Register you and your family today to experience Lariat and be part of the excitement. Use code CULTUREMAPVIP26 before April 7 to receive a discount.

A portion of event proceeds proudly supports Lariat Trails Elementary School.

Photo courtesy of Laria

Be a part of the fun at Lariat.