The ducks will be ready to race on Labor Day.
Winthrop Kiwanis, which saw the demise of its annual Bite of the Methow fundraiser during the pandemic, has come up with a new event to generate money to support its various community projects.
While still in the planning phase, Duck Days — an ambitious upgrade of the annual Kiwanis Duck Race on Labor Day — will offer a variety of family-friendly activities in Mack Lloyd Park on Sunday, Sept. 4, from noon-4 p.m.
Kiwanis’ application for a special events permit was approved at last week’s Winthrop Town Council meeting. According to the application, the Duck Days event will include games, crafts, food and a beer garden.
In the past, the Bite of the Methow has been the major fundraiser for Kiwanis, which dedicates the proceeds to community improvement projects. The Bite featured local restaurateurs and retailers offering samples of their fare in the Winthrop Barn. Silent and live auctions were also part of the event. The COVID-19 pandemic forced cancelation of the Bite the past couple of years.
At last week’s council meeting, Kiwanis representative Sue Ellen White said that the organization hopes Duck Days will be major fundraiser to supplant Bite of the Methow — which she said is not likely to be revived.
“The Bite has done its duty,” White said. “We decided we would do something different.”
Duck Days, White said, “will be focused on fun.”
The Duck Days event area will be cordoned off from the Mack Lloyd Park playground so others can use the park without paying to get into the Kiwanis event, White said.
The Duck Race is still on for Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 5. The race typically begins at noon when a couple of thousand plastic ducks are dumped from the Chewuch River bridge in Winthrop for a journey through the confluence before reaching the finish line at the Methow River bridge.
Each duck is painted with a number associated with an entry ticket. If your duck wins, your ticket pays off with a cash prize. Prizes are also awarded for second through fifth places. Corporate-sponsored ducks will have a race this year as well. Look for the giant inflated duck to buy your tickets from a Kiwanis member, or call (206) 790-2530 for more information.
