Lions Announce Prizes For 2011 Duck Race

Hundreds if not thousands of people will once again line the Pootatuck River in Sandy Hook Center to observe the splashdown and subsequent floating of hundreds of yellow rubber ducks on Saturday, May 28, when Newtown Lions Club hosts its 11th annual Great Pootatuck Duck Race.

The ducks will be ceremoniously dumped from the bridge at the bottom of Church Hill Road into the river and will traverse the rocks, nooks and crannies of the river, making their way down to the Dayton Street walking bridge. The first 20 ducks to cross into a funnel held in place by Lions Club members will win prizes for their respective ticket holders.

Tickets for the 2011 Duck Race remain at their original $5 price. The top three prizes this year will again be $2,000 for the first place winner, a weekend getaway (hotel, dinner and theater vouchers) for second place, and an 8GB iPad Touch for third place.

Another 17 prizes have been donated this year, ranging from health, fitness, and personal care certificates, a Newtown Bee subscription, and gift certificates to local restaurants and businesses.

 The following establishments, all located in Newtown, are selling Duck Race tickets: Bagel Delight, Berkshire Motors, C.H. Booth Library, Cork N’ Barrel, demitasse café, Dodgingtown Liquor Store, Drug Center Pharmacy, Fun Kuts, Hawleyville Liquor Store, Katherine’s Kitchen, Newtown Deli & Catering, Queen Street Cleaners, Sandy Hook Diner, Sandy Hook Hair Company, Sandy Hook Wine & Liquor, Shear Image, Stop & Save Liquors, Superior Cleaners & Tailors, The Toy Tree, Village Barber Shop, Yankee Discount Liquor Store and Your Healthy Pet.

In addition, Lions Club members will be selling tickets each weekend leading up to May 28. The following are locations where tickets will be sold (on a rotating basis): Ace Hardware Store, Andrea’s Bakery, Bagel Delight, Carminuccio’s Pizza, the 4th Annual Newtown Earth Day Festival (April 30 at Newtown Middle School), Franco’s Pizza, Hawleyville Liquor Store, My Place Restaurant, Newtown Deli & Catering, Newtown Hardware, Salon Michele, Stop & Shop, and Yankee Discount Wine & Liquor.

Tickets that have not been sold by Duck Race Day will be available at the park the day of the race.

After 11 years, it is hard to imagine anyone who has lived in Newtown for any length of time, not knowing about the annual Newtown Lions sponsored Duck Race. It is a main event for May of every calendar year. Even children who were questioned by The Newtown Bee for its Bee Lines column (July 2010) put the duck race on an even par with the Labor Day Parade and Halloween on Main Street as their favorite annual Newtown events.

Well before the ducks are dropped into the river, the park at 3-5 Glen Road is filled with booths and tables manned by approximately 40 local organizations, all offering information and/or goodies related to their establishments. Face painting, magic shows, singers, dancers, karate demonstrations, bands and a moon bounce are all featured during the family-friendly event.

Bob Schmidt is serving as the Duck Race chairman this year. For additional information he can be reached at 203-426-1222.