The greatest spectacle in… duck racing?
They’re not quite the Indy 500, but Indiana’s rubber duck races are a fun way to support local communities.
Noblesville and Broad Ripple are both having races soon. That gives Hoosiers a handful of opportunities to get in on the fun.
How do rubber duck races work in Indiana?
Rubber duck races are a special kind of gaming in Indiana.
In a nutshell, they act as a local lottery in the Indiana Gaming Commission’s eyes.
That means that you can’t buy your tickets with a credit card, and you’ll have to be at least 18 years old to participate.
Every ticket you buy corresponds with a specific rubber duck.
The “race” begins when event organizers dump all of the ducks into the river. The first duck to cross the finish line wins.
There are usually prizes for coming in first, second, and third place during the race.
Noblesville rubber duck race
Noblesville’s rubber duck race will be taking place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on July 24. You can catch the action from the Logan Street Pedestrian Bridge.
The race has been around for 31 years, and even took place last year during the pandemic.
Noblesville Main Street is hoping to raise somewhere between $7,000 and $10,000 from the event.
If you’re looking to take part in this year’s race, then you can buy your tickets at the Noblesville Farmers Market, Lil Bloomers, or Moonshot Games. Each ticket costs $5.
First place in the race will win $1,000, with the other two podium spots taking home $500 each.
In addition to the race itself, the event will have booths for local vendors to sell food and drinks. Toss in some activities for kids and some live music, and Noblesville should be ready for a fun day if the weather holds up its end of the bargain.
Broad Ripple rubber duck race
Looking for something in Indianapolis? Then Broad Ripple has you covered.
The Broad Ripple Duck Race will take place at 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 29. The entire event will run from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. that day.
The race will start at the Monon Trail Bridge and end near the pedestrian bridge at College Avenue.
You can buy your ducks for $6 each at the Broad Ripple Farmers Market, or on Saturday mornings at the Broad Ripple Village Association office.
There will be tons of activities for children on the Rainbow Bridge, so the entire family can take part in the event.
Broad Ripple’s prize is a gift card bundle from local merchants. The first-place prize is valued at over $500.
Duck races might be a little different from visiting a casino or betting on sports, but the events are still a nice way to mix up the typical gambling experience. Even if you don’t end up winning, the money you spend is being reinvested into the local community.
