If you’re looking for a little chicanery while celebrating cross-border camaraderie with our Connecticut cousins, all for a good cause, make the trip down to the 22nd Annual Westerly-Pawcatuck Duck Race this Saturday, April 30 and take a chance on a duck for charity. After a two-year COVID hiatus, the event picks back up this year at the traditional spot at the bridge over the Pawcatuck River separating the border communities.
The fun starts on both sides of the border at 11:30 am, 37 Main St. in Westerly and 8 Mechanic St. in Pawcatuck, with food and festivities lining the streets, and set up in the parks in both towns. The ducks sold are for more than 30 local charities and there are more than 100 prizes donated with the grand prize being a trip for a family of four (two adults, two children) to Disney World or $2500 in cash.
At 1 pm a smaller sponsors race will take place, and at 1:30 pm the main race will get underway. (There are still corporate duck sponsorships available for the first race according to the event director, just call the Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce at (401) 596-7761.)
That’s when a front-end loader with up to as many 20,000 rubber ducks will dump the load into the river and kids and adults alike will cheer for their duck to cross the finish line first. Not to worry, the toys are sent downriver between oil boons on either side and are scooped up and recorded at the finish line and winners can claim their prizes quickly.
If you’d like to get a duck in the race, make sure to arrive early, parking can get more difficult as race time approaches, and this is a popular, family-friendly event for residents in both states for good reason. Hope your day is just ducky!
For more information, visit http://www.pawcatuckriverduckrace.org/index.php
