Great Olympic Peninsula Duck Derby promises to be a quack-up

PORT ANGELES — A quacky sort of family fun will race into Port Angeles on Sunday.

The 22nd annual Great Olympic Peninsula Duck Derby will not only award prizes worth a total of $25,000, but also provide an opportunity for families to enjoy a carnival-like atmosphere at the Nippon Paper Industries canal.

Although the races at the canal at the plant on Marine Drive won’t officially begin until 11 a.m., the vendors will open at 10 a.m., said Bruce Skinner, executive director of the Olympic Medical Center Foundation.

The event is a fundraiser for the foundation and for the Sequim Rotary Club’s charitable projects.

So far, 25,000 tickets that match up with numbers on the same number of rubber ducks have been sold, Skinner said.

He predicted about 30,000 total will sell by race day.

Tickets can purchased at the event.

Each duck ticket for the main race costs $5, and $25 buys six ducks.

Grand prize

The grand prize is a new 2011 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck or a Toyota Corolla donated by Wilder Toyota-Scion.

Forty-four other prizes for the main race include $1,500 and $750 in cash from 7 Cedars Casino, gift certificates and other items donated from throughout the North Olympic Peninsula and Canada.

The V.I.D. — Very Important Duck — Race will be at 11 a.m., just prior to the main race.

Large, yellow rubber ducks, each costing $250, are emblazoned with the logos of the ticket holders and are in the Bub and Alice Olsen Very Important Duck Race.

The main race will be at 11:30 a.m.

The ducks will be loaded into a dump truck and spilled into the canal to float in on the tide.

There will be lots of activities the day of the race,” Skinner said.

“It is a great family event — and of course, everyone wants to see if your duck won or not.”

A special tent for children will offer activities for youngsters while food vendors will be available for the whole family.

“It is always a great community and family event,” Skinner said.

KONP radio (1450 AM, 102.1 FM and www.konp.com on the Internet) will broadcast the race live from the Nippon canal.

For more information, visit www.omhf.org or phone 360-417-7144.

________

Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Port Angeles teachers’ union votes to honor paraeducators’ picket line on April 8

Members of the Port Angeles Education Association voted overwhelmingly… Continue reading

Funding needed for Port Townsend homeless shelter

Operation at Legion Hall to close April 30

Port of Port Angeles renews lease for Composite Recycling Technology Center

Agreement covers 26,000 square feet at airport business park

Fire district volunteers lauded

Clallam County Fire District No. 3 recently recognized seven members… Continue reading

Clallam to continue providing deputy to Forks

Contract includes wages, mileage and maintenance reimbursement

Maintenance closes section of Olympic Discovery Trail

A portion of the Olympic Discovery Trail is closed… Continue reading

Hanna Paoluccu of Alexander, N.Y., and Rosie Berg of Nevada City, Calif., members of the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group and working with the Jefferson County Noxious Weed Board, remove poisonous hemlock weed from along the Larry Scott Trail in Port Townsend on Monday. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Poison hemlock removal in Port Townsend

Hanna Paoluccu of Alexander, N.Y., and Rosie Berg of Nevada City, Calif.,… Continue reading

YMCA to build childcare facility

$1-2M still needed for $6.7M project

Port Townsend Police Department recognizes award recipients

The Port Townsend Police Department recognized officers, employees, volunteers… Continue reading

Port Angeles High School evacuated due to bomb threat

Nothing suspicious found, principal says

A tree that has grown out of its tree box and shattered a nearby curb and sidewalk in the 100 block of North Oak Street is among those targeted for removal and replacement in downtown Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Port Angeles tree and sidewalk replacement to begin Monday

The Port Angeles downtown tree and sidewalk replacement project… Continue reading

Grant for Forks treatment plant to be discussed

The Clallam County Opportunity Fund Advisory Board will discuss… Continue reading