Many dragon boat festivals are run by commercial companies and their racing rules and organisational standards vary from event to event.

To help dragon boaters to know what standards to expect when they go Festival Racing, the IDBF has established an Affiliates scheme, open to Festival Organizers who want to operate to IDBF Rules of Racing and Water Safety guidelines.

Affiliates are not IDBF Members but are encouraged to join their IDBF Member. Being an Affiliate promotes their events on web sites and in Dragon Boat publications. It also helps to promote Dragon Boat Sport.

The IDBF is now developing a "Star Rating System" to give paddlers more information on the quality of organisation and hosting at IDBF Affiliates' events.

The 'Star Ratings' will be shown here once the system has been finalized. IDBF Affiliates are entitled to use the IDBF logo, so look out for it.