Ready! Set! Float! During the Downtown Evergreen Dam Ducky Derby, thousands of bright yellow, rubber ducks cascade down Bear Creek from the starting line at the dam spillway to the finish line at Highland Haven Creekside Inn. Eager fans gather along the bank hoping their lucky duck wins. And, no wonder. Cash prizes are on the line for the top three finishers, plus quite a few lower placing ducks also earn prizes.
This year’s Derby is on Saturday, August 5, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The actual “duck drop” is at 1 p.m., but you’ll want to head to the Inn’s parking lot early for FREE family-friendly activities.
If you want to see the ducks do their thing, find a spot along Bear Creek by 1 p.m. That’s when, from high atop an 85 ft ladder fire engine, numbered ducks are dropped into the creek to start their downstream adventure.
Winners are notified at the Dam Ducky Derby closing ceremony in the main parking lot.
Want to get in on the action? Ducks are $6 each or $30 for a Six Quack. You can purchase ducks online here. (They often sell out in advance.)
Buying ducks not only gives you a chance to win a prize, but duck sales also help Downtown Evergreen offset the costs of the Annual Downtown Evergreen Holiday Walk.
In addition, a portion of the proceeds is donated towards a new mural in Downtown Evergreen organized by Leadership Evergreen – Class of 2022.