The Newtown Lions Club Great Pootatuck River Duck Race will be held on Saturday, May 31 — the Saturday after Memorial Day weekend this year — from 11 am until 2:30 pm. The event will again be centered around Heritage Park, 7 Glen Road in Sandy Hook Center.

Tickets, which the Lions like to call “duck adoptions,” are $10 each and will be going on sale Friday, April 4. Presales will continue weekends through May 30 at local businesses; they will also be ongoing online via newtownlions.org.

The first tickets will be sold on Friday, April 4, at Papa Al’s Pizza, 23 Barnabas Road; and Saturday, April 5, at Dunkin’ Donuts, 6 Queen Street.

Ticket sale locations will be posted weekly on the Newtown Lions Club (CT) Facebook page.

This year’s race will again feature 20 prizes with the grand prize a weekend getaway and Sunday brunch to Saybrook Point Resort & Marina. All proceeds will go to charities that support vision and blindness prevention.

Each uniquely numbered duck race raffle ticket corresponds to one of thousands of uniquely numbered rubber ducks that will dive into the Pootatuck River from the Church Hill Road bridge around 2:30 pm on May 31. Holders of tickets corresponding to the first twenty rubber ducks to cross the finish line will win prizes.

Lions President Joe Young said Newtown and Sandy Hook businesses play a vital role in supporting the important Lions Club fundraiser.

“We are grateful for their support again this year and appreciate the Newtown community support in buying tickets to support our charities,” he added.

The following local businesses have all donated prizes: Bagel Delight, Barnwood Restaurant, Berkshire Motors, Lions Bleecker Street Restaurant, Burgeritoville, Butcher’s Best, Carminuccios Pizza, Cork n Barrel, Cover Two Grill, Edmond Town Hall Theatre, Farmhouse Restaurant, Hilltop Kitchen, Jewel of Himalaya Restaurant, Landau Team @RE/MAX Right Choice, Little Theatre, My Place Restaurant, The Newtown Bee, Nostrano’s Restaurant, Organic Cleaners, Papa Al’s Pizza, Pizza Palace, Porco Karate Academy, Ranch Pub, Sabrina Style Woman’s Formal Wear, Sal e Pepe’s Restaurant, Sugo Gastro Bar Restaurant, Sweet Mango, Taco Dia, Tambascio’s Restaurant, and The Toy Tree.

This year’s event is being co-chaired by Arnie Berman and Bob Schmidt; the latter has chaired the event since 2008.

Schmidt still gets excited about the duck race.

“The event is so much more than just the dropping of the ducks,” he said. “It is a town carnival for all ages with many vendors and community groups exhibiting with free activities for children such as a bounce house, a giant slide, mini golf, and a bean bag toss.”

New this year is a passport-style adventure for Duck Race attendees.

“We will encourage attendees to visit all of the exhibitor tables to get a stamp in their passport book to be eligible for an additional prize,” Schmidt said.

The event begins at 11 and will also feature live entertainment including Charlotte Cartelli, Ashurst Academy of Irish Dance, Porco Karate Academy, Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet and Voice, and Suzuki School of Music.

Low-cost duck-themed souvenirs will be among this year’s additional offerings.

Interested community groups, vendors, and others interested in participating as an exhibitor should contact Schmidt at serenitysh@yahoo.com or 203-426-1222.

Information about Newtown Lions and other community service projects is available via newtownlions.org.