Ducks Race the Ol’ Bull River for Charity Once Again

The Bouncing Bulldogs entertain the crowd at FOX 50’s Family Fest on October 7th.

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For the first year in Family Fest history, the weather was overcast and rainy, but that didn’t stop hundreds of families from coming out to Durham’s American Tobacco Campus this past weekend.

WRAL-TV Anchor Michelle Marsh and WRAL’s Brain Game Host Mark Roberts hosted the Great American Duck Race. Proceeds from this year’s Duck Race benefit Explorer Post 50, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle and Durham Literacy Center.

The Baby Crawling contest winner, Stella Hurd, received a $50 Target gift certificate and a Bum Ease Diaper Rash Spray Gift Basket from Family Fest sponsors. Second place went to Shon Johnson who received a $25 gift certificate from Target and a Bum Ease Diaper Rash Spray Gift basket, too. .The Baby Crawling Contest was sponsored by Precious Cargo Child Transportation Services. The baby changing and nursing station was sponsored by Bum Ease.

The Great American Tobacco Duck Race is a highlight of the day as Luck E. Duck (left) hangs out with fans and WRAL-TV Anchor Michelle Marsh, Race co-host, squares off with Wool E. Bull.

Did you see Ronald McDonald, Wool E. Bull, Lucky Duck and Stormy? They were assisting Family Fest stage sponsors, Pulley Watson with great raffle giveaways throughout the day.  

Thank you to Sandbox Kids & Family fun band, the face painters and the balloon artists. ZUMBA was a huge hit on the ATC lawn, take a look at the pictures – people were dancing and sweating thanks to our field game sponsors, The YMCA. Little Pros, sponsor of Touch Interactive had numerous fun-filled activities along with Noah’s Landing and their exotic petting zoo in Bay 7.  

Bright Horizons’ Learn and Play Space located at the Stack, was packed with fun things to do.  Activities included ZUMBA, Yoga, Corn Hole, Movement Matters, and Bag decorating.  There was also a colorful cozy zone for infants and toddlers!

The Great American Tobacco Duck Race took center stage near the end of the day. And the winners are:

• Best Decorated Duck Winner
  1st Place – Gina Bailey
  2nd Place – Stephen Wright
  3rd Place – Michael Simmons
• Corporate Duck Winner
  1st Place – Will Langdon
  2nd Place – Mark Jacobson Toyota
  3rd Place – Michael Jordan Nissan
• People Duck Winner
  1st Place – Lucy Harber
  2nd Place – Thomas DePeal
  3rd Place – George Shaw

Here are some great pictures from the event and LIKE FOX 50 Family Fest Facebook  for more info as we gear up for next year. We can’t wait!!

Thanks to FOX 50’s Aolani Donegan, Erica Porter & Sylvia Lanier and ATC’s Valerie Ward for contributions to these capcom stories & to FOX 50’s Claudia Henry & Melissa Carney for these capcom graphics.

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