Dragon-boat festival has international flair

When this year’s dragon boats slide across the Flathead Lake race course Sept. 7 and 8, there will be 93 teams paddling in the Montana Dragon Boat Festival.

Of those 93, 21 come from our neighbor to the north and an additional 16 from other out-of-market areas.

This proved to be an economic boon for the Flathead Valley last year, bringing in $770,000 for the valley. The inaugural festival in 2012 included 56 teams.

The monetary influence could double from this year’s event.

It’s part of the Lethbridge effect.

People from Lethbridge, an Alberta city of 90,000 just five hours north of the Flathead Valley, have embraced the Flathead as a home away from home. This includes tourism dollars for “destination events” such as the dragon boat festival.

Donna Townley, the only Canadian on the dragon boat committee and an economics professor at the University of Lethbridge, said the appeal of the area was obvious.

“One, it’s majestic Montana,” she said. “You have something we don’t have. There’s no pollution, no smog, there’s the warmth and friendliness and you are surrounded by mountains. The feeling here is nowhere else in the world.”

Despite sounding like a tourism brochure, Townley means it. Her family bought a second house in the area and only missed three weekends in the valley all last year (due to hockey tournaments).  

The Flathead’s rugged remoteness, which has kept it off the radar, is one thing that is now attracting Canadians and their money.

People from Lethbridge, Calgary and other Alberta areas (and to a lesser extent, British Columbia and Saskatchewan) know how far the Canadian dollar will go in Montana.

The Canadian dollar is trading at 95 cents American, but Alberta — thanks in part to the oil boom — has the highest gross domestic product in Canada and one of the highest costs of living. The average Alberta household brings home well over $80,000 annually, compared to Montana’s $45,324, according to the U.S. census.

Zach Deshler, who manages the Timbers Motel in Bigfork with his wife Tarah, said events such as the dragon boat festival are ideal for the hospitality industry.

“Last year there were cars up and down Highway 35,” he said. “It brings us quite a bit of business, it’s what this town needs.”

The costs of living and goods are markedly lower in Montana than Alberta, so Townley said many of her fellow Canadians save money by driving to Kalispell, Columbia Falls or Whitefish, getting a hotel room, shopping the next day and driving back.

“It’s still cheaper,” Townley said. “It remains cheaper until the Canadian dollar gets to around the 75-cent range, and even at 80 cents they’ll still come.”

Diane Medler, director of the Kalispell Convention and Visitor Bureau, said the impact of these Canadians and other out-of-market areas close enough to drive, such as Helena, Butte, Portland and Spokane — will bring in easily more than a million dollars to local businesses.

“Out-of-market teams are ones that come from 100 miles away or more,” Medler said. “Basically someone who is going to spend at least one night here.”

Medler’s push in the last two years has been to host events large enough to draw these out-of-market wallets. The Spartan Race held near Bigfork in May, had more than 4,300 participants and brought in $1.148 million (from all participants, not just out-of-area).

Last year’s dragon boat festival proved to be a success financially, and the Spartan Race even more so. Medler’s next push after this year’s festival is the Montana Pond Hockey Classic.

The hockey tournament in February, is a transparent reach-out to Canadians and their national sport. Medler hopes it will create a new winter tradition for Montanans and Albertans to share.

But what of diminishing returns? Will the Flathead Valley become too popular for its own good?

Not according to Townley.

“I’ve had it asked before when Canadians are going to stop coming,” she said. “Prices in Alberta are always going to be higher. As long as we still feel welcome here, we are going to keep coming.”

Online:

http://montana.racedragonboats.com

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.