19th Annual Naugatuck Duck Race & Festival

PRESS RELEASE: NAUGATUCK CHAMBER’S 19TH ANNUAL DUCK RACE AND FESTIVAL JUNE 2

NAUGATUCK, CT–The Naugatuck Chamber’s 19th Annual Naugatuck Duck Day Race and Festival returns to downtown Naugatuck on Sunday, June 2, 2024 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The event on Maple Street in Naugatuck has options for individuals of all ages. The festival features live music from One Bad Oyster, arts and craft vendors, food and drink, and a variety of activities for children, tethered hot air balloon rides (weather permitting), mural coloring, strolling circus entertainment, and inflatables. Businesses will also be on hand to exhibit their products and services to the more than 5,000 people who attend each year. The festival is held rain or shine. The duck race begins at 2 p.m.

The highlight of the day is the Duck Race at 2 p.m., when thousands of rubber ducks are dropped off the Whittemore Bridge into the Naugatuck River. Each rubber duck corresponds to a raffle ticket purchased by individuals and gives the purchaser a chance to win one of 20 prizes, including $5,000 for first place. Each $5 raffle ticket helps to support 66 nonprofit organizations from throughout the region.

Since 2006, Duck Day has helped over 428 area nonprofit organizations raise more than $476,000 as part of the Duck Day raffle. Tickets can be purchased online at duckday.com or any of the following locations in Naugatuck: Ion Bank: 1430 New Haven Rd. and 87 Church St.; Liberty Bank, 333 Church St.; and the M&T Bank inside the Stop & Shop at 727 Rubber Ave., Nardelli’s at 87 Maple, St., and Terri’s Flower Shop at 174 Church St. in Naugatuck. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the event from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The proceeds from these ticket sales benefit the Naugatuck Chamber, the organizer of the event, and a local supporter and advocate of the local business community since 1922.

Each ticket sold corresponds to a number that is placed on the bottom of a rubber duck. Prizes are awarded to ticketholders of the first 20 ducks that cross the finish line after being dropped into the Naugatuck River from the Whittemore Bridge. First prize is $5,000 cash; second prize is $1,000 cash; and 3rd prize is $500 cash. Details for the other prize packages, which include a $200 Amazon Gift Card, gym membership, Weber gas grill, restaurant gift cards, and other items, can be found at duckday.com

Participating food vendors include Bliss Vybz, Bricins Festival Foods, Canterbury Kettle Corn, Fatboys, Hindsight BBQ, Keith’s Ice Cream Truck, Lucky Dog World’s Famous Hot Dogs, Nutmeg Concession, Meatball Bomb, and the Mobile Pub.

The Tidal Sponsors are Haynes Construction and the Haynes Group; the Mandarin Sponsors are Ion Bank, Liberty Bank, and Pure Junk Media; Mallard Sponsors are Ferrari’s Appliance Sales & Service, the Republican American, Powerstation Events, Sarracco Mechanical Services, and Saint Mary’s Hospital/Trinity Health; the Pintail sponsors are Alderson-Ford Funeral Homes, Complete Care at Glendale Center, Develomark, FD Community Federal Credit Union, H.J. Bushka & Sons Lumber & Millwork Co.; McSherry Law Office; and Webster Bank; We Do Life…Together, a division of ICES, Inc.

The Kids’ Activity Sponsors are C2G Environmental Consultants, LLC and the Naugatuck YMCA.

New this year is Duck, Duck Jeep—a Jeep Wrangler duck decorating contest that’s sponsored by Shaker’s Jeep of Watertown. Jeep owners are encouraged to enter for free at duckday.com. First place wins a cash prize.

For more information about this year’s Duck Day, visit us online at duckday.com or facebook.com/naugyduckday.