23-05-2025
Auburn's Duck Derby will look different this year
AUBURN, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Every Memorial Day, thousands of rubber ducks are released into the Owasco River for Auburn's annual Duck Derby — But that won't be the case this year.
'Unfortunately, with the weather and how bad the water is right now, there's just no way we could safely do it,' said Kimberly Ostrowski, president of CNY Tomato Fest and organizer of the Auburn Duck Derby.
The event will instead be a raffle this year.
'The only difference is that we're going to put all of the ticket stubs into just a wheel like at bingo, and we're going to roll them and we're going to pull them that way,' said Ostrowski.
This comes after last year's heavy rains caused the river to rise over the top of the finish line, making it hard for volunteers to catch all the rubber ducks.
'The fence got knocked down and our volunteers were down there as best as they could trying to catch the ducks as fast as they could and a few of them made a grand escape down the Owasco River outlet into Port Byron,' said Ostrowski.
But organizers are making sure that doesn't happen this time.
'We want it to just be as safe as possible for everybody involved,' said Ostrowski.
All of the money raised at this year's event will be given to 10 food pantries in Cayuga County.
The event will be held on Memorial Day, May 26, after the parade.
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