The annual River Cities Dragon Boat Festival returns to Maumelle’s Lake Willastein this Friday and Saturday.

On Friday night, the event will start at 6 p.m. and conclude with a 9 p.m. fireworks show. On Saturday, the dragon boat races will begin at 9 a.m. Admission is free.

A complete schedule for the festival is:

Friday

• Noon: Athlete’s Village Team Set Up Begins!

• 4:45 p.m.: Athlete’s Village Closes to All Vehicles

• 5 p.m.: Team Check-In Begins

• Team Practices on the Water, Food Trucks Open & Yard Games Open

• 6 p.m.: Children’s Area Opens

• 7 p.m.: Music & Fun on Stage

• 8:30 p.m.: Practices Finish

• 9:10 p.m.: Fireworks Show

Saturday

• 7:30 a.m.: Athlete’s Village Opens- All paddlers arrive, sign waivers, and receive wrist bands

• 9 a.m.: Opening Ceremony & Drummer’s Parade

• 9:15 a.m.: Marshalling & Races Begin

• 11:30 a.m.: Dragon Cup Race

• 1 p.m.: Championship Round

• 2:45 p.m.: Awards Ceremony

Proceeds from the festival benefit the Children’s Protection Center and last year, the event raised more than $150,000, according to organizers.

The event will also feature food trucks in addition to games and watching the 46-foot-long dragon 

There’s a total of 38 teams scheduled to race. They are:

CORPORATE TEAMS (Click the team name for more or to donate)

• 10 FITNESS: TEAM MOTOR BOATERS

• AFMC: TEAM HEARTBEAT OF THE LAKE

• ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AUDIOLOGY: TEAM SOUND WAVES

• ARKANSAS CHINESE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION: TEAM ACAA FLYING DRAGON

• AUSTIN FAMILY DENTISTRY: TEAM MIGHTY MOLARS

• BALDWIN & SHELL: TEAM HARD HAT LEGION

• CARESOURCE PASSE: TEAM OAR & PEACE

• CENTRAL ARKANSAS WATER: TEAM CAW WATER MONSTERS

• CITY OF MAUMELLE: TEAM RUH ROW

• CITY OF MAUMELLE: TEAM THREE RING RENEGADES

• CORNERSTONE SPECIALTY HOSPITAL LITTLE ROCK: TEAM CORNERSTONE CONQUISTADORS

• CRAIN FORD OF LITTLE ROCK: TEAM CRAIN FORD

• DATAMAX: TEAM TONER PIRATES

• DIVISION OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES OF DHS: TEAM DCFS/DHS

• D1 TRAINING: TEAM D1 TRAINING

• ELITE MOVERS INC.: TEAM ELITE MOVERS POWERED BY THRYV

• FABT/TEAM JACKSONVILLE: TEAM DR OWOHS ROWHS: SPEEDWAY EDITION

• FAMILIES, INC. COUNSELING SERVICES: TEAM FAMILIES

• FIRST SECURITY BANK: TEAM TEAL TITANS

• FORVIS: TEAM ASSETS AFLOAT

• GARVER: TEAM GFORCE

• HORTON’S ORTHOTICS & PROSTHETICS/ BAPTIST REHAB-NLR: TEAM HORTON’S/BAPTIST

• KIMBEL MECHANICAL-LR: TEAM KIMBEL-LR

• KIMBERLY CLARK CORPORATION: TEAM KIMBERLY CLARK CORPORATION

• LEWIS ARCHITECTS ENGINEERS: TEAM LEWIS ARCHITECTS ENGINEERS

• LITTLE CREEK BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: TEAM LITTLE CREEK SWAMP DOGS

• NATIONAL GUARD ASSOCIATION OF ARKANSAS: GI ROWS

• PHILLIPS MEDISIZE: TEAM ROWING TURTLES

• PINNACLE POINTE BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE: TEAM PINNACLE POINTE PIRATES

• SUMMIT COMMUNITY CARE: TEAM VOLCARIAN

• THE BRIDGEWAY: THE BRIDGEWAY LIFESAVERS

• THE CENTERS: TEAM CENTERS

• THE RED WATCH: TEAM RED WATCH

• US BANK: TEAM KA-CHING!

COMMUNITY TEAMS

• BOATS & ROWS

• JOLLY VOLLIES

• JUICEBOX HEROES

• MEADOWS MUSCLES