The Annual Duck Race to be Held Friday

The 2024 Annual Kiwanis Duck Race will be on Friday, July 12 at 1 p.m. in Kendrick Park. The Duck Race has been a feature of Rodeo Week for many years. Jim Wilhelm, of the Sheridan Kiwanis, explains how the Sheridan’s duck race came about.

He said that in Sheridan they have around 1000 ducks that they put into the creek. “We go just by the tickets sold,” Wilhelm. “If there are 1100 tickets sold, we put 1100 ducks in.” Tickets are on sale at various places around town, as well as from each Kiwanis members.

He talked about how he puts the ducks into the creek each year. He said he would go down early, before the pancake breakfast, and check out the creek at Kendrick Park to make sure it is not running too swiftly for the race.

He said that due to the rebuilding of the creek channel, the race has been shortened. It used to be they put the ducks in on Works Street, south of Loucks and he added, “We had ducks strung out for five or six blocks.”

Today, Wilhelm said, they put in ducks in the creek near the Kendrick Park entrance, and the ducks ‘race’ down the creek to where the creek curves just past the footbridge, behind Heritage Towers. The duck race is one of the Kiwanis Club’s fundraisers, and he talked about where the funds are used.

Prizes in the Duck Race this year will be: First place, $750; second place, $500; third place, $250.

The Kiwanis Club supports several non-profits in Sheridan including the Sheridan YMCA, Foster Grandparents, Compass and the Food Group.

So, this year, purchase a duck from the Kiwanis Club and cheer them on as they float down the creek.