Newtown Lions Club members began planning for the 25th Great Pootatuck Duck Race soon after the final rubber duck was fished out of the race’s namesake waterway last June. Organizers wanted to do something special for the event’s silver presentation, scheduled for Saturday, May 31.

They pulled in return and new vendors and organizations. They arranged for hours of live entertainment on the stage at Heritage Park, and rented a bounce house and large inflatable slide. They also launched an “Exhibitor Passbook,” which encouraged event attendees to visit exhibitor booths and collect stickers at each stop before turning in those books in for potential prizes.

If only Mother Nature had cooperated.

For the 11th straight weekend, rain ruined outdoor events last Saturday, including the largest annual fundraiser for the local Lions Club. Duck Race Co-Chairs Bob Schmidt and Arnie Berman waited as long as they could, but finally had to make the difficult decision to postpone the event for 24 hours.

“Arnie is an amazing and resourceful guy,” Schmidt later said. “He figured out how we could run the duck race on Sunday.”

Four of the five scheduled entertainers were unable to perform on Sunday, July 1. Local singer-songwriter Charlotte Cartelli and her mother Kerri “did a wonderful job keeping the crowd entertained for more than an hour” on Sunday, Schmidt said.

Unfortunately, the Lions also determined that the river was not safe to drop the ducks in on Sunday after the latest rain the previous day.

“The current was strong especially by the bridge where there were many large slippery rocks,” Schmidt explained. “The current would also cause the little rubber ducks to go right over the collection system at the finish line, making it impossible to have a fair race.

“Some of the river recovery crew could have been injured,” he added. “We also could have lost hundreds of ducks.”

Knowing the crowd would be disappointed if there was not a duck drop, Berman and fellow Lion Rick Everett came up with a fun alternative: The Town and Country Garden Club of Newtown held a free activity where children decorated toy drums. Schmidt invited the children to take the stage to play their drums and sing songs together.

The event co-chairs then asked the children if they would like to help drop three large plastic ducks — named Huey, Dewey and Louie, naturally — from the Church Hill Road overpass where rubber ducks have traditionally been dumped from the bucket of a backhoe. Schmidt explained the change of plans, and the decision to allow the large ducks to represent the collection of smaller ducks.

Marnie Feder, a mom who was at the race, volunteered to lead the parade of children as they played their drums and carried the ducks to the bridge. When they dropped the ducks, the crowd cheered.

Berman worked the microphone, doing his best imitation of a sportscaster reporting the positions of Huey, Dewey, and Louie as they floated down the river.

Everett waded into the river with a hockey stick and a broom to recover the three ducks.

2025 Duck Race Winners

The following people won prizes in this year’s Great Pootatuck Duck Race. Their tickets were pulled in traditional raffle drawing fashion following the adapted race last Sunday afternoon.

First prize, a weekend getaway to Saybrook Point Resort & Marina including a two night stay, Sunday brunch, and a $300 gift card, total value $1,200, Megan Pelella;

Second, a weeknight stay at Captain’s Mansion in Mystic and $100 gift card to S&P Oyster Restaurant & Bar, total value $500, Gabrielle Jimenez;

Third, three one-month memberships for Porco Karate ($450 value), Jennifer Nash;

Fourth, a $150 Gift Card for HillTop Kitchen, $100 from Landau Team at Re/Max Right Choice and a one-year subscription or renewal to The Newtown Bee (total value $300), Mary Jo Brett;

Fifth, $100 gift card for Newtown Pizza Palace, $50 gift card for Butcher’s Best and $50 gift card for The Toy Tree, Mark Ferguson;

Sixth, $100 gift card for Sugo Gastrobar and $100 gift card for Jewel of Himalaya, Janine Gibney;

Seventh, a dozen bagels a month for a year from Bagel Delight ($180 value), Alyssa Zincolella;

Eight, $100 gift card for Tambascio’s Italian Grill, $50 gift card for My Place Restaurant and $25 gift card for Cork n Barrell, Brez Nozas;

Ninth, $100 gift card for Sal e Pepe Restaurant and $50 gift card for Burgeritoville, Adina Oberman;

Tenth, $75 gift card for Nostrano Italian Eatery and $75 gift card for Berkshire Motors, Janet Bennett;

Eleventh, $100 gift card for Sabrina Style, $25 gift card for Carminuccio’s Pizza & Subs and $20 gift card for Organic Cleaners, The Picerno family;

12th, $80 for (20) tickets to Edmond Town Hall movies and $50 gift card for Bleeker Street Restaurant, Russell Phillips;

13th, $100 gift card for Farmhouse Restaurant and $25 gift card for Cover Two Restaurant, Mark Szanatulski;

14th, $60 for two tickets to The Little Theatre/Town Players of Newtown and a $25 gift card for Carminuccio’s Pizza & Subs, Natalie McCraigh;

15th, $50 gift card for Ranch Pub and a $20 gift card for Organic Cleaners, Miles Ball;

16th, $30 gift card for Barnwood Restaurant and a $25 gift card for Sweet Mango , Dave Troy;

17th, $25 gift card for Cover Two Restaurant and a $25 gift card for Taco Dia, Deb Berkart;

18th, $25 gift card for Papa Al’s Pizza and a $20 gift card for Organic Cleaners, Matt Dietrich;

19th, $25 gift card for Cover Two Restaurant and a $20 gift card for Organic Cleaners, Janice Garten; and

20th, $25 gift card for Cover Two Restaurant and a $20 gift card for Organic Cleaners, Nicole Lombardo.