Of the many ways to look cool, standing on the side of a river cheering for a rubber duck is way down the list.
On the other hand, it could win you a $5,000 Visa gift card.
Ducky’s not so dorky after all, is it?
The event is the 2nd annual Great Duck Race. It takes place this Saturday (June 12, 1-4:30 p.m.) in Parker Harding Plaza.
Here’s the deal: You pay $20 for a “duck” raffle ticket (at Fairfield County Bank, Christie’s Country Store or from any member of Westport Sunrise Rotary, the sponsor — click here for complete list).
Ducks behind the boom.
Around 3:45 p.m. a boom in the Saugatuck River just north of the bridge will be lifted. 3000 ducks — each with a number corresponding to a ticket — will be freed, to float south with the current.
The 1st 10 to cross the finish line win Visa gift card prizes ($5,000, $1,000, and 8 more worth $500 each). You don’t have to be present to win.
In addition, there’s a free drawing for swim lessons at the Westport Y, a 3-month Y family membership, a gift basket from Whole Foods, and 20 copies of Stewie Learns the Duck to Swim.
There is also a corporate race. The 1st 3 winners get bragging rights, and a small trophy.
Proceeds help support Sunrise Rotary’s nearly 60 charity partners.
Besides the race, there are kids’ arts and crafts, games, music and food.
Downtown Westport is a summer festival (no, I’m not working for the Chamber of Commerce). There’s an art show, sidewalk sales, music on Bobby Q’s roof and much more.
You can start it all off by betting on a plastic made-with-an-environmentally-sensitive-compound duck to float down the river.
Who said there’s never anything to do in Westport?
