The Estes Park Duck Race has some exciting new things in store for 2024 including live music announcements and the addition of a new venue. This year, “Big Duck” Scott Robbins is leading the charge for the 36th annual Rotary Duck Race, and backing him up are three eager “Little Ducks”, along with an active Duck Race Committee. Little Ducks Scott Thompson, Karen Thompson and Beth Weisberg are seasoned pros, ready to take on the challenge. Ahead of this year’s festivities, Big Duck Scott Robbins shares his thoughts on behalf of the Rotary Duck Race Committee. Learn all about what’s new for the 2024 Duck Race in this exclusive interview.
Q. What strikes you as the most amazing thing about the Estes Park Duck Race?
A. It’s the remarkable level of community engagement. Sponsors, merchants, our participating organizations, the Town, Visit Estes Park and our residents have all embraced the event. It is now the single largest fundraising event in the Estes Valley. We expect to return over $200,000 to the sixty-three participating organizations in 2024.
Q. Can you tell us what’s new in 2024?
A: We have two big changes in 2024. The first is increasing our payout to nonprofits from $22 per $25 duck adoption to $23 per adoption. When you apply that to 10,000 ducks in the water that’s a significant chunk of change.
The second big change in 2024 is emphasizing the festival aspect of the Duck Race by adding a full day of activities at Bond Park. After a long winter, local residents and visitors are ready to get outside in our beautiful mountain community to celebrate Spring! Big Quack to that! Our headliner musical act is Cowboy Brad Fitch. Cowboy Brad is a fixture in the local entertainment scene and we couldn’t be more pleased to have him perform. Prior to Cowboy Brad, Sunny Boy Jim Jack Jones will play guitar music geared to young listeners. Two West African-style Djembe drum groups will kick off the entertainment at 10:30 a.m. followed by a community drum circle for people of all ages that want to join our Djembe West African-style drummers.
We are ecstatic to have the YMCA of the Rockies leading children’s games and family activities at Bond Park. Who could be better at engaging families than the YMCA! We will also have three food trucks available throughout the day. Finally, a number of organizations and sponsors will have informational tables at Bond Park.
Q: What do we need to know about this year’s Race Day?
A: Race Day will start at 9:00 a.m. with the 5K Duck Waddle. We expect over 10,000 duck adoptions this year. All duck adoptions will be made online only, and it’s fast and simple to do so by going to our website, www.epduckrace.org or click on the QR code on duck race posters you see around town. Anyone can adopt a duck from their cell phone, iPad, computer, or other device in just a couple of minutes. Who knows, adopters may also win one of the hundreds of prizes donated by our local merchants or one of our big prizes: $10,000 cash, $6,000 cash, $4,000 cash, or a stay at historic Camp Hale, CO. Follow the livestream on your phone by going to the website. It’s a community festival, a major fundraiser, and a day full of fun with hundreds of chances to win prizes. It does not get any better than that!
Enjoy the entertainment offerings at Nicky’s Resort, Performance Park, George Hix Riverside Plaza, and Bond Park starting at 10:30 a.m. and running through 4 p.m.
What is the Race Day highlight, in your opinion?
The moment when over 10,000 little yellow rubber duckies are dropped into Fall River from the duck cage suspended high in the air. Suddenly, the river turns bright yellow with a big splash, and away the ducks go down the river to Riverside Plaza!
A close second is learning how much revenue has been raised for the participating organizations. The services they provide are essential to the quality of life here in the Estes Valley and it’s a privilege to contribute to their success.
Q. Many local residents and groups participate in the Race volunteering, entertaining, selling adoptions, serving as sponsors, walking the river, etc. Does that make a Big Duck honk with happiness?
A. That’s a big Quackity-quack! Our partnerships with Visit Estes Park and the Town have been indispensable in 2024 as have the support of our business sponsors, merchants, and all the volunteers from the community.
Q. Here’s your chance to send some thankful quacks before the ducks drop.
A. There are so many people to thank. We are especially grateful to Poppy’s Pizza and Grill and Mama Rose’s Restaurant for being our Named Sponsors. This has enabled us to have the Rocky Mountain Channel and Nick Molle promote duck adoptions and live-stream the Duck Race. Visit Estes Park has done an incredible job managing our Facebook page and promoting the Duck Race through press releases and other publicity outreach.
The tireless work of Karen Thompson as our venue and entertainment coordinator is as appreciated as it is essential. We are also indebted to all of our musicians who generously share their talents with us.
The Duck Race Committee’s Tech Team of Bob Fulton, Jeff Lindberg, Larry Trifiletti, Lee Lasson, and Sandy Lasson have volunteered their services to create and operate much-needed e-commerce system to manage adoptions, a customer relations system to manage communications and data, as well as a user-friendly website with portals for all key stakeholder groups. I can’t thank them enough for their “back office” work that makes the race work.
Three very able Rotarians are managing River Security this year: Carl Robicheaux, Sheriff; Jim Austin, our River Expert Emeritus; and Ben Vander Werf overseeing the finish line duck plucking. River security is crucial to the safe operation of the Duck Race and gives adults an excuse to wade in the water!
Coordination of volunteers has been ably assumed by Andrea Escorcia. Andrea has successfully herded over 100 duckling volunteers to cover all the duties necessary for the festival
Last year’s Big Duck, Bill Solms, has stepped in as our Sponsor leader and has secured our sponsors for the 2024 race festival.
Larry Williams has taken on the task of overseeing the application process for organizations interested in participating in the race festival.
The generous donations from our many Major and Associate Sponsors are helping to underwrite the event expenses. Delaware North, owner of the Holiday Inn, has once again donated a nice vacation package and has been instrumental in hosting duck race meetings.
Our town’s supportive merchants have donated hundreds of wonderful prizes for duck adopters to win. Tim Moore, Beth Weisberg & their legions of volunteers have spent countless hours securing these prizes. Thanks to all of you.
We continue to be impressed by the Participating Organizations and their enduring commitment to selling duck adoptions and providing volunteers to help with the Duck Race.
The Estes Park Police Department Auxiliary is donating their services for crowd and parking control and keeping the duck race safe for our festivarians.
The Duck Race couldn’t happen without the dedication of the Duck Race Committee and the Rotary Club of Estes Park. I rely heavily on the wise counsel of my Little Ducks. I can’t wait to see where they take the race in 2025. For anyone not receiving a shout-out by name, just know that virtually everyone I have had the pleasure of working with on the 2024 Rotary Duck Race Festival is appreciated. I am grateful to you all.
Q: Can you describe the experience of leading a fundraiser of this scale?
A: The Duck Race is an Estes Valley institution, and it truly is a privilege to help carry on this tradition. It is absolutely a lot of work, but that work is made lighter by the “many hands” that help out. There are a lot of Rotarians that know a lot more about the race festival than I do and their experience greatly enhances the event. The best part is the people you work with who do what they do because they love the duck race festival and the way it benefits the community.
Q: Do you have advice for future Big Ducks?
A: I highly recommend it to anyone who is curious what it would be like to lead a team of highly committed and competent people who appreciate the place this festival has in the community. Bringing people to help who are as enthusiastic about fun and service as you are. With everyone working together, the Duck Race can go on for another 36 years!
Q: Do you need volunteers on Race Day?
Yes! Please email me at BigDuck@epduckrace.org or Andrea Escorcia, volunteers@epduckrace.org to help make Race Day a success.
###
The Estes Park Rotary Duck Race Festival occurs annually on the first Saturday in May. The Annual Duck Race continues a tradition started in 1989, which has returned over $3 million to local Estes Park charities and groups. 2024 marks the 36th annual Duck Race.
