Time & Location
Jul 03, 2026, 11:00 AM
Kent, OH, USA
Guests
About the event
2026 Ducks River Race: New Opportunities for Sponsors
Since 1996, the Ducks River Race has been a beloved tradition at Kent’s annual Heritage Festival, and for nearly 30 years, the premise has stayed delightfully simple.
Every Fourth of July weekend, festival-goers can purchase a numbered duck (or several!) to claim their spot in the race. Then, as evening falls, crowds pack downtown to cheer as the Fire Department drops the ducks into the Cuyahoga River and they float toward the finish line.
The winner takes home a $1,000 grand prize, and proceeds support community programs throughout the year — including the Kent Jaycees Community Impact Grant.
A Safer, Smarter, Sponsor-Forward Format
In recent years, though, wrangling thousands of small rubber ducks on an unpredictable river current has created logistical, environmental, and safety concerns. Not to mention, with festival-goers’ attention on so many ducks in the water, sponsors’ visibility has been…