NILES — This Saturday, residents are likely to hear the steady rhythm of a drum as colorful boats carved to look like dragons glide down the St. Joseph River near the Main Street Bridge.

The tradition is part of the annual Dragon Boat Races which will resume once again at 8:30 a.m. Saturday in Riverfront Park, at the boat dock. On Friday, teams are given the chance to take the boats out and practice. So far, five teams have signed up to compete in Saturday’s race. Teams of at least 14 and up to 25 are still welcome to sign up to participate in the event through Friday. Cost to participate is $300 per team.

The Dragon Boat Races are organized by the local chapter of the Alpha Omega Sorority, a philanthropic group that is part of the national Beta Chi Sorority. Proceeds from this year’s event will go to research for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Last year’s event raised about $1,200 for the Women’s Heart Alliance.

The race will kick off at 8:20 a.m. with the traditional Dragon Awakening Ceremony in which paper money is tossed into the water to ward off evil spirits. To “awaken the dragon” a stick of incense is placed under the dragon’s nose, the dragon’s eyes are dotted with red paint and fire crackers are set off.

Stephanie Holland, who is part of the local chapter and the national vice president for Beta Chi Sorority, said participating in the event presents a unique opportunity for companies or friends and families looking to form a bond.

“From the moment they go out for that first practice, they are totally hooked,” Holland said. “You have to work together. If you get out of sync, that messes up your time and slows the whole boat down.”

Racers will begin near the boat dock and race to the Main Street Bridge and back. Racers are timed and will have three heats to get their best time.

The Dragon Boat Race first began during Niles’ Riverfest. When the festival came to a close, local chapter members saw an opportunity to carry on the longstanding tradition. Dragon boat racing has been part of Niles’ summer festivities for more than 20 years.

Dragon boat racing is rooted in ancient Chinese culture, according to information gathered by Holland. The tradition started about 2,300 years ago, when a poet known as Qu Yuan threw himself into the Mei Lo River to protest the corrupt government. Local fishermen were said to have scoured the river in attempt to save him, returning every year to scare off fish and evil water spirits, with the design of the dragon boats and beating of a drum.

Dragon boat racing continues today in different nations around the world. In China, 20 million people are said to be active in the sport.

Holland said this year’s team participation is one of the lowest they have seen in the past couple of years. She encouraged people to sign up or come out to Riverfront Park to watch the event take place.

“Help support your city [by] getting down there,” Holland said.