The seventh Dragon Fury Race and the second Sha-Festival are bringing together cycling, local cuisine, cultural performances and community enterprises in Wangdue Phodrang on October 16 and 17.
The cycling race begins at Changlimithang in Thimphu and finishes at Gadhenlingka Park in Wangdue Phodrang, where the festival is being held under the theme “The Taste of Sha!” and the slogan “From Valley Fields to Festive Feast.”
Open to Bhutanese, international and expatriate cyclists, the race includes mountain-bike and road-bike categories. The total prize purse stands at Nu 170,000, with awards for leading male and female cyclists and recognition for the youngest and oldest participants.
The Sha-Festival features agricultural products, traditional knowledge, local handicrafts, cottage industries, cultural performances and live music. The programme also includes the Molay Drendhur beauty competition.
The festival brings together communities from Wangdue Phodrang’s 15 gewogs, providing local producers and enterprises with a platform to promote their products to visitors.
The event is jointly organised by the Department of Tourism, Wangdue Phodrang District Administration and the Bhutan Olympic Committee, aiming to promote tourism, local businesses and cultural heritage through sports and community engagement.