Correspondent photo / Nancilynn Gatta A member of Warren Rotary checks the order of rubber ducks that came through the narrow end of the pool noodle course to determine the top 10 winners as a member of the kayaking group Friends of the Mahoning River looks on after the rubber duck race on the Mahoning River.

WARREN — The Warren Rotary Club’s passion to help local nonprofits finds it raising money while having fun.

The latest example could be found at the second annual Duck Festival, which took place Sunday at downtown locations.

The event found Warren Mayor Doug Franklin arriving at the festival in a kayak that was paddled by Jason Lee, part-time naturalist for Mosquito Lake State Park, along the Mahoning River.

A Jeep parade drove through Perkins Park with 26 entrants competing in the Best Jeep contest.

James Dance Center dancers and Disco Duck dancers entertained the crowd and a hula hoop contest took place, both at the Warren Community Amphitheatre.

However, the highlight of the day was the rubber duck race on the Mahoning River through a pool noodle course.

“We had 600 ducks adopted this year,” said Cindy Matheson, past president of Warren Rotary and event chair. This year’s festival raised funds for five charities — Salvation Army, Warren Family Mission, Healthy Hearts and Paws, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 11 and the Animal Resource Center in Cortland.

“We try to spread the wealth,” Matheson said in regards to funding different charities during the first two years of the event.

Three of the charities were on site during the festival with information about their nonprofit.

“We hope that people go by their booth and learn what the nonprofit does, and find out why we selected them as one of the charities to fund from this event,” Matheson said.

In his opening remarks, Franklin reminded attendees of what their purchase of a rubber duck for the race, 50/50 ticket or basket raffle chance can do.

“This is a race with a purpose. When you support this festival, you are directly investing in the future of our city and our neighbors,” he said.

Shana Bartlett of Girard beat out 25 other Jeep contestants to win the coveted gold rubber duck, which she placed on the dash of her vehicle.

The trend of rubber ducks and Jeeps started in 2020 by Canadian Jeep owner Allison Parliament. She placed a rubber duck on a stranger’s Jeep with a kind note to bring a smile to their day. The trend continues to create community and kindness among Jeep owners.

The highlight of the day was the releasing of the 600 rubber ducks to move with the current of the Mahoning River down a 150-foot course created with pool noodles. The top 10 ducks received a prize.

Winning $500 was first-place winner Andrew Smith. The second place winning duck, which was adopted by Robin Minter, won her an overnight stay at the Grand Resort in Howland. Ducks in third through 10th place also won prizes.

The day also included information booths from the Warren Health Department, a pop-up Warren Trumbull County Public Library, various food trucks and emcee Tom Angelo.

The Warren Rotary Club plans to have a third Duck Festival next year.

“The walkway across the river from CharBenay’s Wine on the River and Thumm’s Bike & Clock Shop will be completed and we can drop the ducks from there. It should be a lot of fun,” Matheson said.