Frequently Asked Questions

A duck race is a community event! The 2022 Annual Milford Harbor Duck Race will begin at the Wepawaug River next to the Fowler Memorial Building in downtown Milford, CT, and will end at the harbor just beneath the Hotchkiss Memorial (pedestrian) Bridge. The event will also include food and family entertainment in the Fowler parking lot and basketball courts – next to the Fowler Pavilion.

A front loader will literally drop the ducks into the river where they will will ‘race’ through a series of boons until they cross the finish line – one at a time! Each duck is numbered to correspond to an ‘Adoption’ number and will be pulled out of the river in order of arrival. For more information see our How It Works page.

Saturday June 4, 2022, rain or shine!

3:30pm

The events start at 1:00 PM and end at 5:00 PM. For a list of activities and events, see our Race Day Schedule page.

For the full list of 2022 prizes, see our Duck Race Prizes page. Top 2022 prizes include:

• 65 “ Smart TV
• Apple iPad
• Apple Watch
• Kayak
• Apple Airpods

We are not actually selling a duck – but instead – we are selling ‘Adoption Certificates’. ‘Adoption Certificates’ are all individually and sequentially numbered and correspond to an individual number on the bottom of a duck.

Most sales will be online here but we will have select opportunities and events at which cash adoptions can be made. Visit us at our Milford Duck Race Facebook page to learn more about the next event where we will be selling duck adoptions.

You will also be able to visit select locations to adopt a duck with cash or check (made payable to The United Way of Milford). 2019 Locations TBD.

You will receive an email with the assigned duck number(s). You can also create a password when you adopt your duck and come back to our site to review your purchases – or even adopt more ducks and add to your list! The more ducks, the better your chances of WINNING!

For more information see our How It Works page.

We will be selling duck adoptions for cash or check purchases at the locations listed above through Friday, May 31, 2022. (See SCHOOLS CHALLENGE exception below.)

All other online or ‘At the Event’ cash/check adoptions can be made up until 11:30AM the day of the event.

Note, all SCHOOLS CHALLENGE adoptions must be completed by May 24th in order to get prizes to schools before the end of the school year!

Whether you help promote duck adoptions (see above), solicit sponsorships, support the event by attending with your family, or volunteer that day – WE NEED YOU! Every contribution will help us re-establish this event as a city-wide success.

We will, however, need many volunteers for Race Day! From the setup, kids events, to duck drying – there’s lots to do. Please enter your contact info here or reach out to The United Way of Milford or the Woodruff Family YMCA and they will record your information to share with race organizers.

THANK YOU!

Yes! There are ‘corporate sponsors and donors’ who have contributed to our event. Please visit our Sponsor Info page to see them all – individuals and organizations alike - or let them know directly how much we appreciate their generosity if you have the opportunity!!

Also, select businesses that will be selling and promoting duck adoptions as well. See above under the ‘How Do I Adopt a Duck’ or look for the ‘Duck’ signs in store windows!

If you are a local business and still want to get involved, email Lori Melius at lmeliuus@unitedwayofmilford.org. THANK YOU!

The net proceeds of the event will go to the Milford United Way. In turn, Milford United Way provides extensive financial and operational support to numerous fortunate recipients throughout the Milford community.

While there are costs associated with running the event, most have been deferred due to our generous sponsors. Please visit our 2022 Sponsor Info page to see them all – individuals and organizations alike - or let them know directly how much we appreciate their generosity if you have the opportunity!!