CMYK
goo family Don’t duck out Derby helps kids, offers winner cash BY BRANDEE A. THOMAS
gainesvilletimes.com/getout | Thursday, May 10, 2012
TOM REED | The Times
Hall County Sheriff Steve Cronic holds up the winning duck at last year’s Rubber Duck Derby at Clarks Bridge Park.
Rubber Duck Derby Duck Fest Family Festival When: Festival starts at 10 a.m., race at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 12 Where: Lake Lanier Olympic Center, 3105 Clarks Bridge Road, Gainesville How much: $5 for a single duck, $25 for a “quack pack” of six or $100 for grand pack of 25; Duck Fest is free to attend To adopt a duck: 770-656-2527, www. rubberduckderby.com
Dave Boyd and the Shade Tree Smugglers. The festival will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. It’s not too late to enter your own duck in the derby. For $5 you can adopt a single, yellow duck or for $25 you can adopt a “Quack Pack” of six ducks. If you really want to increase your odds of winning a prize, you can adopt a “Grand Pack”
of 25 ducks for $100. The grand prize for the race is $10,000 cash, but seven other prizes — ranging from a $1,000 Best Buy gift card to a Kindle Fire — will also be handed out. “We encourage everyone to get their ducks early,” Piucci said, “but if there are any left, we’ll have them available at the event.”
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family events This Week
Mother’s Day Craft Week, Gainesville. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 10-11. $1 per craft, members free. Interactive Neighborhood for Kids, 999 Chestnut St., Suite 11, Gainesville. 770-536-1900. www. inkfun.org.
Upcoming
bthomas@gainesvilletimes.com This weekend, Lake Lanier will be flooded with thousands of ducks. No need for alarm though. Unlike the fowl in the Alfred Hitchcock film, these birds mean no harm — they’re the “contestants” in the 14th Annual Rubber Duck Derby. “This is the biggest fund raiser for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hall County,” said Michele Piucci, who serves on the event planning committee. “All of the money raised during the Rubber Duck Derby goes to the local Boys and Girls Clubs organization to help them support activities and programs for local youth.” The actual derby will kick off at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Lake Lanier Olympic Center at 3105 Clarks Bridge Road in Gainesville. It will feature 16,000 yellow rubber ducks taking flight from a barge to race through the waters of Lake Lanier, aided by the wind and waves from kayakers and canoers. As the ducks are raising to the finish line, Duck Fest — a family festival — will have lots of activities to keep everyone entertained. The festival will include vendors, a classic car show, petting zoo, health screening, food and a host of free children’s activities. There will also be live entertainment from acts like
CMYK
Fish Craft Week, Gainesville. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 14-18. $1 per craft, members free. Interactive Neighborhood for Kids, 999 Chestnut St., Suite 11, Gainesville. 770-536-1900. www. inkfun.org. Butterfly Release in Wilshire Park, Gainesville. 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. May 20. Wilshire Park in Gainesville. Northeast Georgia History Center, 322 Academy St., Gainesville. 770-2975900. www.negahc.org. “The Smurfs;” Movies Under the Stars, Buford. May 26. Mall of Georgia. Film at dusk. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs. 404-233-3993 or jworrall@ bravepublicrelations.com. Friday Night Flicks, Clarkesville. Film at dusk. June 1. “Muppets.” Sam Pitts Park. Free. 706-7542220. “Hugo;” Movies Under the Stars, Buford. June 2. Mall of Georgia. Film at dusk. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs. 404-2333993 or jworrall@ bravepublicrelations.com. “Jack & Jill;” Movies Under the Stars, Buford. June 9. Mall of Georgia. Film at dusk. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs. 404-233-3993 or jworrall@ bravepublicrelations.com. “Alvin & the Chipmunks Chip-Wrecked;” Movies Under the Stars, Buford. June 16. Mall of Georgia.
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Film at dusk. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs. 404-233-3993 or jworrall@ bravepublicrelations.com. Friday Night Flicks, Clarkesville. Film at dusk. June 22. “Adventures of Tin Tin.” Sam Pitts Park. Free. 706-754-2220. “Dolphin Tale;” Movies Under the Stars, Buford. June 23. Mall of Georgia. Film at dusk. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs. 404-233-3993 or jworrall@ bravepublicrelations.com. “We Bought A Zoo;” Movies Under the Stars, Buford. June 30. Mall of Georgia. Film at dusk. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs. 404-2333993 or jworrall@ bravepublicrelations.com. Mall of Georgia’s 10th annual Fabulous Fourth, Buford. 2 to 9 p.m. July 4. Mall of Georgia. Fireworks display begins at dusk. “Sherlock Holmes 2” shown post-fireworks. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs. 404-2333993 or jworrall@ bravepublicrelations.com. Friday Night Flicks, Cornelia. Film at dusk. July 13. “Hugo.” Cornelia City Park. Free. 706-778-8585. “Monte Carlo;” Movies Under the Stars, Buford. July 14. Mall of Georgia. Film at dusk. Guests are encouraged to bring
blankets and lawn chairs. 404-233-3993 or jworrall@ bravepublicrelations.com. “Glee: The Concert Movie;” Movies Under the Stars, Buford. July 21. Mall of Georgia. Film at dusk. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs. 404-2333993 or jworrall@ bravepublicrelations.com. “Soul Surfer;” Movies Under the Stars, Buford. July 28. Mall of Georgia. Film at dusk. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs. 404-233-3993 or jworrall@ bravepublicrelations.com. Friday Night Flicks, Clarkesville. Film at dusk. Aug. 11. “The Lorax.” Ruby C Albright Aquatic Center. Free. 706-7542220.
Ongoing
“Waters of Time: The Chicopee Woods Story,” Gainesville. Learn about previous eras and inhabitants of Chicopee Woods. Elachee Nature Science Center, 2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville. $5 adults, $3 children age 2-12; age 1 and younger and members free. 770535-1976. Story times, Hall County. Children can listen to stories, sometimes read by special guests. Various days and times at libraries in the Hall County Library System. Free.