PORT ANGELES — Secured by cables against the west wind, a giant yellow edifice bobs like a duck on water on East First Street.
The 65-foot rubber duck was inflated Saturday to call greater attention to the Great Olympic Peninsula Duck Derby at Lincoln Park this coming Sunday.
It did get attention. A crowd of bystanders watched as the 1,100 pound-inflatable took shape.
Unless it gets loose and blows toward Sequim, it will bounce on the lot between Chevron and Angeles Pawn, across the street from Swain’s General Store at 602 E. First St., daily through Saturday.
The giant duck was made by Great American Merchandise and Events, referred to as GAME, a company based in Scottsdale, Ariz.
This is the first time it has been displayed this year.
“Giant Quacky” has made only one other appearance, and that was in August in Cincinnati.
The huge rendition of a popular bathtub toy dwarfs its fellow yellow ducks, which can be seen all over Port Angeles as tickets are sold for the duck derby.
It’s in town for the 25th rendition of the duck derby, in which some 30,000 rubber ducks will be dumped into the pond at the city park on West Lauridsen Boulevard at 2:30 p.m. and allowed to drift to a finish line.
Those who hold the tickets for the first 42 to cross the wire will win prizes worth more than $25,000.
The very first duck will win for its ticket-holder a 2014 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck or a Toyota Corolla provided by Wilder Toyota.
At 2 p.m., prior to the main race at 2:30 p.m., the Bub and Alice Olsen Very Important Duck (VID) Race will be held.
This is an opportunity for businesses and individuals, including those from outside the Peninsula who do business with local companies, to purchase special VID ducks emblazoned with their logos for $250 and $500 each.
The derby raises money for the Olympic Medical Center Foundation and Sequim Rotary Club.
Each duck ticket will cost $5. For $25, adopters receive an extra duck (six chances to win) in the race.
Duck tickets can be purchased from members of the OMC Foundation, many OMC employees, Sequim Rotary Club members and Forks’ Soroptimist International of the Olympic Rainforest, as well as volunteers.
Duck tickets also will be on sale daily at the Peninsula Daily News office at 305 W. First St. in Port Angeles, both Safeway stores in Port Angeles, Swain’s General Store, Albertsons, Lovell’s Chevron, Roadrunner 76, all First Federal locations on the North Olympic Peninsula and Jim’s Pharmacy.
For more information, phone the Olympic Medical Center Foundation at 360-417-7144 or visit its website at www.omhf.org.
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Managing Editor/News Leah Leach can be reached at 360-417-3531 or at leah.leach@peninsuladailynews.com.
