75,000 rubber ducks are about to splash into the Chicago River off the Columbus Bridge for the 2022 Chicago Ducky Derby presented by Jewel-Osco to benefit Special Olympics Illinois, or at least that’s the goal!
Rubber ducks are available for adoption for $5 each online at chicagoduckyderby.com and will be available online as late as race day until approximately 12:30pm or sooner if ducks become unavailable. The Family Festival begins at 10 am at 401 N. Michigan Ave and includes activities and live music from The Boy Band Night and Mr. Dave Music.
The Splashdown is at 1pm at Columbus Bridge and the race duration is dependent on how quickly the rubber ducks move. Winners will be contacted directly after the race via phone. Duck adoptions and souvenir ducks, tee-shirts, and pet bandanas are available for purchase online. FOX 32 will host the Chicago Ducky Derby Live Special at 1 p.m.
For an excellent viewing opportunity of the race, go to The Northman at 233 E Riverwalk where you can enjoy live music from The Luna Blues Machine at 12:00 PM until 1:00 PM and again from 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM.
The hashtag for this event is #ChiDuckyDerby.
The Derby ducks are ALL removed from the water by volunteers and staff at the end of the race.
Special Olympics Illinois athlete Kyle Tuckey serves as the 2022 Duck Ambassador and will appear at the finish line to hold up the winning duck.
Tuckey of Palatine, Illinois started participating with Special Olympics Illinois 20 years ago when he was 8. He has competed in track and field, soccer, softball, basketball, golf and snowshoeing, as well as gymnastics.
Last month, he represented Team Illinois in gymnastics at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando and came back to Illinois with multiple gold, silver and bronze medals. The following week, he won seven gold medals at the Special Olympics Illinois State Summer Games in Normal.
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Each year the event raises upwards of $300,000 for over 23,100 athletes and more than 13,000 young athletes across the state. Last year over 75,000 ducks were adopted, the highest amount of money ever raised in the tradition’s 17 years. At the time of writing this, 62,656 ducks have been adopted, so far raising $277,945 which is 84% adopted of a 75,000 goal.
Participants can adopt a single duck for only $5, a Quack Pack (six ducks) for $25, a Flock of Ducks (24 ducks) for $100, or a Diamond Duck Pack (240 ducks) for $1000 and the winner will receive an all-new Chevy Equinox, courtesy of the Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana Chevy Dealers. Other prizes include a Caribbean Cruise for Two courtesy of Royal Caribbean International, a $2,500 Cash Prize, and four Windy City Smokeout tickets.
The 2022 Chicago Ducky Derby is presented by Jewel-Osco. Thank you to all of the event sponsors: AJ Gallagher, Chicago Office Movers, Navy Pier, In Search of a Cure, Marina Cartage, Sasser Family Companies, Teamsters Local 731, Reyes Coca Cola Bottling, City Cruises anchored by Hornblower, Fox 32 Chicago, Chicago Sun-Times, iHeart Media, 93.9 LITE FM, Chicagoland and Northwestern Indiana Chevy Dealers, Royal Caribbean, and Lettuce Entertain You
Special Olympics Illinois is a not-for-profit sports organization offering year-round training and competition in 18 sports for athletes with intellectual disabilities and Young Athletes ages 2-7 with and without intellectual disabilities. Learn more about Special Olympics Illinois at www.soill.org.
