Staff photo / R. Michael Semple Georgina Learn, 1, of Youngstown, is thrilled to receive a yellow rubber duck from her great-grandmother, Georgianne Learn, also of Youngstown. The pair was attending the Rotary Club of Warren’s River Duck Festival Saturday at Perkins Park. The festival’s signature event, a rubber duck race down the Mahoning River, was canceled because the water was too high.

WARREN — Despite the signature event of the Rotary Club of Warren’s River Duck Festival being canceled because of high water, organizers still deemed the inaugural festival “just ducky.”

Cindy Matheson, president of the Rotary Club of Warren, said the rubber duck race on the Mahoning River in Perkins Park was canceled, but the festival drew approximately 200 people throughout the day who were able to see improvements that have been made to the river and support the organization, which raises funds for a variety of causes in the community.

“We made a fun game out of the rubber ducks,” Matheson said.

She said instead of racing down the river, the 1,500 ducks were placed into a pedal boat donated by Bass Pro Shops in Niles. Each rubber duck had a number on it and 10 people’s numbers were called for prizes. The ducks were $10 each, but admission to the festival, which featured kids’ activities, live music and food trucks, was free.

Matheson said the fifth through 10th-place winners won $50 each. The fourth-place winner won $100. The third-place winner won a one-night stay at the Grand Resort in Howland. The second-place winner won $300 and the first-place winner won $500.

She said there were 38 participants in the festival’s Jeep Parade, which she felt was a pretty good turnout for the first year. Attendees could vote for their favorite Jeep by tossing a rubber duck into a basket in the vehicle of their choice. Ducks were $1 each.

Matheson said the Rotary’s goal for the River Duck Festival was $10,000, and although she could not give a total Sunday night because proceeds were still being counted, she said she was “pretty sure” the organization would make that goal.

The Rotary Club’s largest fundraiser in the past has been the Slice of the Valley pizza challenge, but when she became president, she wanted the focus of the fundraiser to be on Warren and its scenic river.

One of the reasons they decided to do the festival in April was to draw attention to the river before the summer recreational season starts, Matheson said.

Discussion already has taken place to host the River Duck Festival again next year, but it likely will be moved to the summer with the hope the weather will be more cooperative.

“We are very pleased with how the festival went despite the weather and high water. It will be bigger and better next year now that we have the first one under our belt,” Matheson said.