Amid Sloan's Lake uncertainty, crowds turn out for Colorado Dragon Boat Festival
On Sunday afternoon at Sloan's Lake, you could hear the sound of Japanese Taiko. The percussion instruments were masterfully worked by a group of performers as crowds gathered to hear them. This is the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, which celebrated its 25th year of operation.
"The races have been good, very competitive," said Ken Khamphoumy, who has been racing in the festival for a couple of years. " We had a really good first time for our team."
The Dragon Boat races have become an annual tradition for those who live in Edgewater or are looking for a weekend activity. This season, the event was delayed due to the deteriorating water conditions of Sloan's Lake. The lake is not fed by any streams or rivers; instead it relies on rainwater and runoff to sustain itself. Over the course of the last decade or so, the stillness of the water has allowed bacteria and parasites to flourish, making it unsafe for pets to swim in and sometimes dangerous for humans as well. One racing team member mentioned to CBS Colorado that he got an eye infection after one year because lake water got on his face.
Various nonprofits, including the Dragon Boat Festival and Sloan's Lake Foundation, have been sounding the alarm on the need to clean and even potentially dredge the lake to keep it usable for metro Denver residents.
"I think it would be great to be able to stay at Sloan's Lake," Ken said. "Particularly for our team, we've been practicing here for so many years."
Lakewood photographer Dan Root fielded more than a few questions from festival goers about the state of the lake while working out of his vendor tent. He showcased his photography from Thailand, including shots from the ancient Buddhist capital of the country.
"All of this work is shot on film and hand-printed by me in my dark room," he explained. "These aren't digital prints."
The Dragon Boat Festival, if unable to use Sloan's Lake, would be forced to change its venue to somewhere that would allow boat usage. There are options on the table, but the first one is hoping that the lake is able to be adequately cleaned up. Root, who has had a vendor stand for roughly three years here, feels like the Edgewater area is synonymous with the festival.
"The fact that it's been 25 years we've done this," said Root. "People know it. They come here for this event. I am concerned that if it's not here anymore that we won't get as many attendees."
But for this year, at least, it felt like maybe even busier than prior seasons. Typically, around 200,000 people walk the grounds each festival weekend.
"It couldn't have been any better," said Sara Moore, the executive director of the festival. "It was absolutely gorgeous weather with so many people coming out here to support. It's just a great opportunity to explain the situation with the lake even more to make sure we can put all resources to ensuring that this lake is viable to us in the future."
She's been working with other local groups to spread the message about the lake's preservation. While some grant proposals to the city of Denver included requests for up to $40 million for lake cleanup, the City Council agreed to a $5 million grant as part of the Vibrant Denver Bond package. The package will go to a public ballot in November to figure out if Sloan's Lake will be one of the many grant recipients.
As the drums continue to beat, Sara remains optimistic. The lake still has a chance to be saved and that means the Dragon Boat Festival can stay here, at its home.
"I'm not even gonna say this is gonna be the last one [at Sloan's Lake]," said Moore. "It's too good. It's too important. This year has been phenomenal."
