By Ewa Chwojko-Srawley
The annual Duck Races and Festival on High Street on Saturday brought together the best of two worlds, proving that two organizations are indeed better than one!
The Sutton BIA and the Kinette Club of Sutton joined forces to transform High Street into a delightful scene of duck-themed festivities.
Kids played with duck-themed toys, families sported matching duck race T-shirts, and vendors and street businesses made sure to display something quacky and hilarious at every turn.
The main attractions were of course rubber duck races on the Black River. Huge crowd gathered on both sides of the bridge to cheer on their rubber champions.
Perhaps the most enthusiastic participants, bouncing with excitement and cheering louder than a stadium crowd, were Hanane from Sutton and Bushra, visiting from France. Hanane said, “Although I’ve been living in Georgina for several years, I didn’t have a chance to attend the festival before, because I was always working. So today, I want to make it memorable, participate in all the activities, and just have quacktastic fun!”
Fun it was, with duck-themed games for adults and kids. But the real splash came when 2,600 numbered ducks hit the water in six races!
Trish Mulholland, the Sutton Kinette President, says, “That’s double the number from last year when we had just three races. I want to thank everyone who bought a duck. Your dollars go back to the community through six local non-profits.”
This year, 12 Kinettes, 4 Kinsmen, and some “Kinkids,” along with Sutton BIA members Dale, Lindsay, Debbie, Elaine, Ivy, and others, worked hard, and surpassed last year’s success.
The support from all the local businesses that sold tickets—Black River Coffee, Sweet Pea Accessories, Home Hardware Sutton, Jagged Edge, Hospice Georgina, and the Chamber of Commerce—was invaluable. Together, they successfully raised a record-breaking amount of money.
It was all fun, but it wasn’t all games at the festival. The Town had a booth where Stephanie Wolfe, Climate Initiatives Lead, chatted with concerned community members.
She said, “The town needs to hear from the public about priorities on climate change. Many residents stopped by to ask questions and voice their concerns. It was an important moment, proving that even at a duck race, you can’t duck out of serious issues!”
Eliana, Lily, and Arya, along with their mom Ashley, have been attending the festival for at least seven years. They love how it’s getting bigger with more attractions and vendors each year.
Ashley shares, “This is the best festival in town. We’re already excitedly looking forward to the Fall festival, Whoville on High Street!”
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