Huntington Beach, Calif. -- Duck-a-thon is an annual event held
each May in Huntington Beach to
raise money for the Community Care
Centers, providing medical care for
those who can't afford it.
This event is held the weekend after
Mother's Day weekend, and often
begins on Friday evening with a
casual tent-style wine and cheese
sampler reception for those 21 and
older who purchase tickets and stand
outdoors at Pier Plaza overlooking
the Huntington Beach Pier.
Duck-a-thon is one of many
California duck derbies.
Friday
Duck-a-Thon Wine Tasting; location
Pier Plaza, Huntington Beach Pier,
Huntington Beach, CA. Outstanding
wines and hors d'oeuvres. Time: 6 -
8 pm.
Tickets: $50 (approx.) duck-a-thon.org
Saturday
Duck Festival
goes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Pier
Plaza. Music, food, booths, crafts
and a view of thousands of ducks
before they are launched. Rubber
Duckie Race at Huntington Beach
Pier, Huntington Beach, CA. Time: 3
pm. Ducks sold day of event.
Sunday
Duck Festival
goes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Pier
Plaza. Music, food, booths, crafts.
Don Watson Corporate Challenge
at Huntington Beach Pier,
Huntington Beach, CA. Time: 3 pm.
Saturday and Sunday are the
Duck-a-thon fun days for families.
Rubber ducks are sold (sponsored)
and entered into a race of sorts.
Dumped from a huge bulldozer at the
Huntington Beach Pier, the ducks are
supposed to float to shore with the
tides. The first to arrive and be
captured by volunteer crews who snag
them are awarded prizes to the
owners. In addition to this
exciting race (most exciting as you
can't predict what children will
do--grabbing the ducks when asked
not to), there is often a band at a
Pier Plaza, vendor booths and prize
opportunities for those who purchase
tickets.
The duck derby event is located
across the street from the Best
Western Huntington Beach Inn. You
can walk from the hotel to the pier
and enjoy all the fun, just 2 1/2
blocks away. Other nearby
hotels include the
Hilton
Waterfront Resort (3 1/2 blocks).
Single-handedly organized by a small
group of civic volunteers, the event
work goes on behind the scenes most
of the year. For more information
about Duck-a-thon, they usually post
the upcoming event a few weeks to
months before it occurs.
duck-a-thon.org
Huntington Beach and California are
both event driven. Major events
usually run 2 to 8 days and include
surfing competitions, marathons,
concerts, 4th of July parade and
even a paintball competition on the
beach. The hotel rooms often
sell out for the major events, but
there are plenty of days throughout
the year to enjoy overnight or
weekend stays in Huntington Beach.
