It was off to the races Friday morning in downtown Naperville, where more than 2,000 rubber ducks took a dive into the DuPage River for the annual Riverwalk Duck Race.
Hundreds of community members gathered to watch the quacky racers as the event returned for its second consecutive year.
“We brought it back because kids, young and old, love this. And they lined the Riverwalk, which we love to see, and everybody cheered for their favorite duck or the duck that they purchased,” said Katie Wood, executive director of the Downtown Naperville alliance
Event supports Naperville Riverwalk Foundation
The event is a fundraiser for the Naperville Riverwalk Foundation, with revenue from duck purchases going to the group.
This year, the race raised more than $10,000 for Riverwalk enhancements.
“We’ve been working on a variety of projects over the years. One would be the current pollinator garden that’s over by the Centennial Beach. Others would be enhancements all the way up and down the Riverwalk with a flag that we’ve put in on the Riverwalk,” said Karen Solomon, president of the Naperville Riverwalk Foundation.
Top three ducks win prizes
And the ducks were down for the cause, paddling to the finish line, with duck No. 1110 in first, No. 1504 in second, and No. 1568 in third.
The owner of the top duck will receive $1,981, which is the year the Riverwalk was founded, while second and third-place winners will receive gift cards to downtown Naperville businesses.
Wood hopes those who stopped by to watch waddle off to explore downtown Naperville and all its offerings.
“What we hope is it makes them stay downtown. They go have lunch, they go walk around and see our summer sculptures. So, it’s just a great, fun thing to kick off the summer,” she said.
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