We would like to invite you to the

14th Annual Smart Ducky Derby Race

on Saturday September 16, 2023!!!

Breckenridge and Garnett Street, Henderson, NC

Quack ! Quack! Quack! Ducks on Garnett Street? 

Franklin Granville Vance Smart Start will hold its annual Ducky Derby Festival and rubber duck race, a fundraiser for the local Smart Start program, on Saturday, September 22, 2023 in downtown Henderson, NC.  At 11 the festival begins on Breckenridge Street between the library and police station.  This years’ activities include a bounce house and slide, as well as face painting and balloon animals for the children.  Other activities are corn hole and ring toss. Vendors will be on hand serving hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, sausage dogs, fish sandwiches, corn on the cob, funnel cakes, ice cream, and snow cones.  Entertainment will include a DJ, singing performances from several daycare programs, and music from Henderson Collegiate, Mary Potter elementary school band and choir, as well as the drum line from Granville Central high school.  The YMCA will lead line dancing and Zumba in the street. Children can man a real firehose with the assistance of the Henderson Fire department, and Smart Start will be giving each child at the event a free book, as well as the opportunity for the parent to enroll any child age 0 to 5 in the Imagination Library, a program that sends a book each month to the child at their home.  Safe Kids will also be present and will set up child care safety seat inspections for those parents with children still in car seats. And local nonprofits will have booths with information for families and children.

At 2 o’clock the entertainment switches to Garnett Street, where the rubber duck race will take place.  Up to 2,000 rubber ducks will be poured into the Garnett Street “river” by a cement mixer provided by Greystone Concrete.

The first duck to cross the finish line at Orange Street wins $1,000, second place Chick-fil-A for a year, third place finish is $250 Gas Card, and the last duck to cross the finish line wins $100.

Winners of the cash prizes do not have to be present to win. However, the winner of the ‘Chick-fil-A for a Year’ prize must be present to claim the 52 meal tickets.

In Henderson, tickets are on sale at EZ Car Care, Dots Hallmark, Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, and the State Employees Credit Union.  All Smart Start staff and board members also have tickets, call 252-433-9110, ask for Garry Daeke if you would like someone to deliver. Tickets will also be on sale the day of the race until 1 o’clock.

Ducks are $5 each, a Quack Pack of 5 tickets is $20, and a Flock of 25 tickets is $100.

Tickets can also be purchased online here:  https://my.cheddarup.com/c/fgvss-14th-ducky-derby

To become a sponsor please visit our sponsor page.

Ducky Derby Sponsors

Super Ducks
Duke Energy
Union Bank
Granville Medical Center
Boyd & Royster Funeral Services

Top Ducks
Charles Boyd of Henderson
Cardinal Innovations
NC Pediatrics
Chick-fil-A of Henderson
Rose Oil Co.

Feathered Friends
Wester Insurance
United Health Care
Henderson Family Dentistry
Greystone Concrete
Baskerville & Baskerville, PLLC
AFLAC-Rebecca Mayes
City of Henderson
Citizens Pub

Thank You for all our Sponsors and everyone who adopted ducks, you made last years Smart Ducky Derby successful!

“Building Brighter Futures for Children.”