ORGANISERS of this year’s Bradford Dragonboat Festival are hoping to raise almost £40,000 through a crowdfunding page.

The online donation page has been set up to raise £39,995 to help pay for the infrastructure of the upcoming event, which will take place over three days between May 5 and 7.

Businesses in the district have been urged to support the event, which will be held on the River Aire at Roberts Park, Saltaire, through the crowdfunding page.

They can donate £49, which will see a black and white version of their logo included in the ‘wall of heroes’ section of the event’s website, bradforddragonboatfestival.co.uk.

For a £99 pledge, businesses can have a colour version of their logo included on this section of the website.

Firms have also been asked to pledge £249 to pay for an advertising banner, which will be included on the banks of the river during all three days of competition at the festival.

Organisers have reassured visitors that the festival will go ahead, even if the target is not reached by its May 1 deadline.

The fundraising website has been set up to help pay for parts of the event including the stage, which are currently being funded out of festival volunteers’ own pockets.

Umran Ajaib, branding manager for the Dragonboat Festival, also urged the public to contribute to the festival fundraising.

He said: “The festival is definitely going ahead, the crowdfunding gives people who are not involved the chance to support it.

“Volunteers are funding the festival’s infrastructure themselves.

“It will give people the chance to give something back to Bradford.

“Anybody, whether they are a business or individual, can get on board and offer their support.”

The event will begin with a youth competition on May 5, with teams of youngsters aged 11 to 19 taking to the water.

This will be followed on May 6 by the sold out main festival day, with up to 45 teams competing in up to three races.

They will be racing against the clock, with the three fastest teams battling it out for the title in the day’s final.

Crowds will be treated to entertainment, including music, during the event.

A corporate day will take place on May 7, with teams paying £2,000, with half of the money going to a charity of their choice, and £500 for team registration and the rest for other costs.

Participants on the first two days will be encouraged to raise funds for the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, which this year is children and young people’s mental health charity Young Minds.

To make a donation, by 6am on May 1, go to crowdfunder.co.uk/bradford-dragon-boat-festival.