A rubber duck Regatta is a race of rubber ducks down a local waterway, preferably one with a good current. The owner of the first duck to cross the finish line is honored for the win and may also be awarded a donated prize.

Each duck is purchased for between $5 and $20 and the owner’s name is linked to a unique number which is stenciled onto each of the racing rubber ducks.

An average race includes 3,000 racing ducks, but you can adjust that number up or down depending on the reach of the organization. Some long-running races across the U.S. involve more than 10,000 ducks.

HOW IT WORKS:

At the starting line, large plastic bags full of the racing rubber ducks are simultaneously emptied into the water. The winning duck is the one that floats to the finish line first.

Many groups organize their Regatta around a group outing near the waterway. This enables you to make a leisurely family afternoon out of the event and, quite possibly, turn it into an even bigger event.

Including a local, or national, celebrity adds even more excitement to the Regatta. The celebrity can assist in starting the race and/or announcing the first finisher.

REVENUE:

  • Ticket sales: Adopting a duck. The price per duck should be between $5 and $20. If a school event perhaps $5/child and $20/adult. A ‘Quack Pack’ could be sold in bundles, perhaps 5 for $50.
  • Corporate Sponsors: Pricing can range depending on the number of participating ducks.
    • Event sponsor: the sponsor logo is stenciled on all ducks
    • Prize sponsors: Prizes to the top finishers. The Cincinnati Regatta (100,000 ducks raced in the 2009 event) garnered a first place prize of an auto as donated by a group of dealers as well as savings bonds donated by a local bank.
  • In-kind sponsors:
    • Underwriter of the purchase of the actual ducks
    • Food and drink underwriter
  • Additional revenue opportunities:
    • Sell food and drink
    • Add family-oriented activities where a series of tickets are sold, for games such as:
    • inflatable moonwalk
    • face-painting booth
    • temporary tattoos
    • ball-toss game
    • dunking tank
  • Include a Silent or Live Auction
  • Raffle off prizes

PROMOTION:

Build awareness of the event by promoting through traditional locally media as well as on-line through websites such as Vivanista.

SUMMARY:

Put together a Rubber Duck Regatta as your next fundraising event. You’ll have a quazy good time, quack, quack!

AUDIENCE: Family-oriented
TYPE OF ORGANIZATION: Church, school
VOLUNTEERS: Minimal
ESTIMATED PROFIT: $5,000 – $50,000
MAJOR COSTS: Cost of ducks & permits
LEVEL OF EFFORT: Medium
PLANNING CYCLE: 3+ months
RESOURCES: www.kkpromos.com – Rubber Ducks from $.74/each