Teams compete in Dragon Boat Festival benefiting United Way of South MS

Sixteen teams took to the waters for a competition of synchronization and grit at the eighth annual Gulf Coast Dragon Boat Festival.

The festival is a fundraising event, directly benefiting the United Way of South Mississippi’s mission to improve the well-being, education, and financial stability of Hancock, Harrison, Pearl River, and Stone counties.

Some of the Coast’s largest companies, organizations, and nonprofits battled and paddled it out in the dragon boats in hopes of taking home first place.

Brad Falls with Mississippi Power says it is team work that makes the dream work. “Today we’re really here as a team. It takes team work for us to do what we do every day at work. We’re just applying that here today. So, it’s really, really important that we stay in sync just like we do at work as we keep the lights on. We’re here to have some fun. Oddly enough, winning is fun so that’s what we’re here to do as well.”

Mississippi Power’s Team Kilowave took home top prize as winners of this year’s festival.