Lucky Duck Race

Ducks take their swim on...CANCELLED for 2022
Held Annually at the Conway Festival of the Hills, at the Bridge over the South River in the center of Conway.

Ducks are given instructions to paddle downstream as fast as they can, and the sponsors of the lucky ducks win prizes. Proceeds go to the Conway Sportsman’s Club Scholarship programs.

All ducks released, herded and corralled by the Conway Sportsman's Club

Cost per "Duck" is $5.00

Prizes:
1st Duck $500.00
2nd Duck $250.00
3rd Duck $125.00
4th Duck $75.00
Last Duck $50.00

History of the Lucky Duck Race:

The "Lucky Duck" race was started years ago by our then club president, Aaron Staelens, as a club fundraiser. The first 500 interested race fans would sponsor a "lucky duck" and cheer for them at the race time. We would release the 500 pink, yellow and blue plastic ducks, each with a number on their bottom into the South River just above the bridge in the center of Conway. A "finish" line was strung across the river by the bridge and several "retrievers" stood patiently at the line waiting for the "herders" to release and follow the ducks down river. The first 4 ducks across the finish line would win prizes and last but not least, the last duck would win also. Spectators lined the stone wall and the bridge cheering for their favorite participant.

A tragic accident took Aaron from us to soon. In appreciation of his dedication to the Conway Sportsman’s Club we renamed the race the Aaron Staelens Memorial "Lucky Duck" race. The plastic ducks were replaced by little yellow rubber duckies wearing their best "biker garb" as Aaron was a "Harley" rider.
So each year at the Festival of the Hills, little duckies with helmets, vests and numbered bottoms race their way down the river to the cheers of the crowd.
Five lucky sponsors can flaunt their bragging rights when their ducks cross the finish line. All proceeds from this event benefit the Conway Sportsman’s Club scholarships for area youth.

Note about race day: If it is determined, on race day, that the river is running to high or deemed unsafe, the race will be postponed till a time when it becomes safe for club members to release, herd and corral the ducks. Updates will be posted on the main page here and on our Facebook page.