Duck Race

First Prize

6 p.m. -- DUCK RACE -- South Street Bridge to Memorial Covered Bridge. Sponsored by the K. C. Geiger Park Improvement Committee.

Hundreds of thousands - well, hundreds, anyway (2,016 in 2000) - of numbered rubber ducks (one for each $5 ticket sold) are released on the St. Marys River as the nearby Memorial Park Clock Bell Tower strikes 6 o'clock. The unpredictable current carries the yellow rubber ducks 1/2 a furlong - about 120 yards - downstream at speeds measured in the tenths of a mile/hour.

Hundreds of thousands - well, thousands, anyway (no kidding) - of race fans come to the riverbank to watch the spectacle. Throwing stuff at the ducks or at the DUCK RACE officials in the water is considered bad form, and will draw stern rebukes from the knowledgeable fans (and especially from the DUCK RACE officials).

The ducks approach the finish line to qualify for prizes (102 prizes worth almost $11,000 in cash and merchandise in 2000). DUCK RACE officials in the yellow shirts and hats place the winners into the chute immediately. This year, the First Place Prize is a 1992 Chevy S-10 Blazer 4x4, sponsored by Larry Schaaf Auto Sales, Inc., featuring a custom package provided by B & K Body Shop.

The Annual K.C. Geiger Park Improvement Committee St. Marys River SummerFest Duck Race is a fund-raising activity of (surprise!) the K.C. Geiger Park Improvement Committee, which is a non-profit organization. All proceeds from this event and other Committee functions are administered through the St. Marys Community Foundation. All donations, including the purchase of tickets, are tax-deductible.