The quack drop is back!

This isn’t your average day at the park: 30,000 rubber ducks are about to turn the Wando River into a floating frenzy.

 

This year, the Charleston Duck Race is not only making a splash; it’s throwing a full-on carnival.

Set your calendar and fluff your feathers; the Rotary Club of Daniel Island’s annual Charleston Charity Duck Race is Saturday, June 14, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Daniel Island’s scenic Waterfront Park.

 

The ducks will launch around 11:10 a.m., tide permitting.

 

“This year we’re back in the river with our 30,000 little yellow ducks!” said longtime Rotary organizer George Roberts.

 

DUCK DROP IS BACK

After a few years of bobbing in the calm pond at Guggenheim Plaza, the ducks are headed back to open water – and in dramatic fashion.

 

“We are no longer in the pond,” Roberts said. “We’re back in the Wando River thanks to Cape Romain Contractors, who will be dropping the ducks from their barge.”

 

The duck drop, which once took place off and over the Wando Bridge, now gets a high-seas upgrade thanks to a barge crane.

 

It’s more dramatic. More duck-spirational. And, according to duck race chair Evan Murray, long overdue.

 

“One of the biggest things that folks mentioned in the past two years is that the event was fun (at Guggenheim Plaza), but the race was boring,” he said.

 

“I’ve been trying to make a deal with (the South Carolina Department of Transportation) for years to get us back on the (Wando) bridge for a dramatic duck drop – that should be a band name,” Murray joked, “but after giving up hope on the bridge, we finally got the plan pulled together with the help of this barged crane provided by Cape Romain Construction.”

 

Ever wonder how a winner is determined from 30,000 rubber ducks? Don’t worry, there’s a method to the madness.

 

Once released from the crane, the ducks will ride the outgoing tide to the finish line. Each one is fitted with a unique RFID, or radio frequency identification tag, so organizers can scan and identify the winning ducks as they cross the finish line.

 

“We take them out in batches of 24,” Murray explained. “Some folks choose to be donors rather than adopters, so we keep scanning until we find all our winners.”

 

CARNIVAL-STYLE COMEBACK

The location at Waterfront Park isn’t the only thing getting an upgrade. This year’s Duck Race promises an entire festival atmosphere – a “sizzle” event, as Murray calls it.

 

“We have a team putting together all new carnival games for this year’s race for the kids. We’ll have face painting, balloon animals, ice cream, Kona Ice, King of Pops, and even a flower bouquet station and a painting station.”

 

Keep an eye out for a game of Pop-A-Duck, hands-on arts and crafts, and sweet treats like cotton candy and snow cones. Local eateries, The DIME and The Kingstide, will also be opening early, serving up some light bites. “I told them no duck dishes,” Murray teased.

 

But wait, there’s more. The organizers are working to put together a live band, a mascot race, possibly pitting Charlie the Riverdog against the giant duck, and potentially even a visit from the Charleston Animal Society’s adoptable dogs.

 

“We want this to be an event folks are talking about around the island again,” Murray said. “Not only to get more duck adoptions, but to get more folks interested in Rotary – it’s how I found out!”

 

Aside from the fun, attendees and duck adopters have a shot at serious cash prizes:

 

1st place: $10,000

2nd place: $5,000

3rd through 7th places: $1,000 each

 

“We have 30,000 ducks,” Roberts said. “The goal is always to have every duck adopted, and we’re shooting for a sell-out this year!”

 

QUACKING FOR A CAUSE

Since its launch in 2007, the Duck Race has raised more than $2.5 million for local nonprofits and global Rotary service projects. The event is a collaborative effort among seven Charleston-area Rotary Clubs, each selecting their own beneficiaries.

 

This year’s recipients include East Cooper Community Outreach, Water Mission, WarriorWOD, Lowcountry Orphan Relief, the Philip Simmons Middle School PTA, and many other charities that are supporting everything from food insecurity to youth development and education.

 

“We’d like to end the year around $215,000, with the Daniel Island Club making around $165,000 of that,” Murray said. “We’re going to push hard to get the word out there, because the more we push to make this race great, the more money for these beneficiaries.”

 

Sara Wallace, executive director of Lowcountry Orphan Relief, said, “The funds raised from the Charleston Charity Duck Race will significantly enhance our ability to support abused and neglected children in the Lowcountry. 

 

“These contributions will allow us to provide more care kits, which include essential items such as clothing, toiletries, books, and stuffed animals. We can also expand programs like Just in Case Closets, which supply emergency necessities directly within Title I schools. We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to bring hope and comfort to even more children.”

 

Another beneficiary is WarriorWOD, which is a local nonprofit dedicated to helping veterans recover from post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse through exercise and nutrition services.

 

“This event truly makes a difference,” WarriorWOD founder Phil Palmer said. “The support we receive will directly fund gym memberships, certified nutrition coaching, and our Battle Buddy mentorship program for veterans right here in the Lowcountry and beyond.

 

“Thanks to community-driven partnerships like the Duck Race, we’ve helped over 1,000 veterans and most powerfully, the prevention of nine veteran suicides to date. Every duck adopted plays a role in saving lives.”

 

ADOPT A DUCK

Want in on the ducky action?

 

You can adopt a duck for $10, or a whole flock, at charlestonduckrace.com. Sponsorships for businesses start at $250 up to $10,000, with all proceeds going to the Rotary Club’s charitable causes.

 

“It’s not every day you get to see 30,000 ducks in action!” Roberts said. “It’s a fun event with something for everyone, and all for charities in our area along with Rotary initiatives around the world.”

 

Whether you’re in it for the cause, the carnival, the cotton candy, to get a photo with the 6-foot-tall duck mascot, or just to see which duck crosses the finish line first, the Charleston Duck Race promises to be a quack-tacular Saturday on the water.