1st Annual GFFE Duck Race - 9/26/10

The Nitty Gritty (all the answers to your questions)

Here are all the details you should need, but if we forgot anything, them feel free to contact us with questions and ideas: duckrace@gffe.org

How do I get in on all the fun?

Participation is so simple. You only need to adopt a duck or two or how many you want (there’s no limit!) We won’t stop selling ducks until they all have been adopted, or until about 30 minutes before the start of the race, whichever comes first! Each duck is $5. Once you’ve done that, you need to hold onto your tickets until Sunday, September 26. Click here for information on how to “Adopt a Duck”.

The 1st annual GFFE Duck Race will be held on Sunday, 26. The GFFE volunteers are busy planning a fun afternoon of food, music and interactive “educkational” booths for adults and kids of all ages. The festivities begin at noon at the JJ Sullivan Oil Company field on River Street. Click here for more specifics about the Duck Festival Festivities.

The race begins at 2:30. Here’s the best part: YOU DON’T NEED TO BE PRESENT TO WIN!!!

Is it REALLY a Race?

Yes, well kind of sort of: there’s a start and finish line, so doesn’t that qualify as a race?

At approximately 2:30 pm, the ducks will be released on the West River to float to the finish line, 400 feet down river. We are counting on the outgoing tide to carry them rather swiftly downstream but since this is our first duck race, we have no idea what to actually expect! We hope we have anticipated any potential glitches. We do know that duck races specifically state that once released, the ducks are on their own… some get caught in reeds, some get caught in an upstream current, some just don’t want to move… in other words, what we’re really talking about is a raffle – the duck(s) that make it through the finish line are as random as a ticket being pulled out of a jar… but this is way more fun than an ordinary raffle! Who can’t help but cheer for those cute little yellow duckies floating down a beautiful river (on a gorgeous – we hope - autumn afternoon)?

Where is the actual race taking place?

Thanks to the generosity and collaboration of the Guilford Land and Conservation Trust and JJ Sullivan Oil, the race is being held at the GLCT property, the Olmsted Outlook on River Street, across from the JJ Sullivan Company. There’s lots of room for viewing the race.

Winners will be announced as the ducks are pulled from the water.

How will the “race” actually work?

All of the ducks will be dumped into a holding pen that has been specially built and designed by our GFFE engineers and handy people. They will float there, patiently until the starting gun goes off and the barrier is lifted. An elaborate catch-all system, also designed by our very own GFFE engineers and handy people, will be in place to catch every duck, one by one, as it passes through a tube. There will also be a second catchall beyond the tube to collect any strays. Every single duck will be collected and accounted for as part of the GFFE Clean-up crew’s responsibility. Besides we need every duck back collected and packed away so we can do it again next year!!!

What if I’m a lucky ducky and mine wins but I wasn’t able to be there to cheer him/her on?

Not a problem. We’ll have all your contact information from when you adopted your duck. We’ll let you know if you won and how to collect your prize. We’ll also post all winners on our website after September 26.

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