The Great Estes Park Duck Race will be back again in 2025. This fun, family-friendly event has been part of the Estes spring season for 36 consecutive years and continues to grow and evolve.
For 2025, there are new ways to enjoy the fun of duck racing.
More Duck Race Fun!
- The racecourse has a new route for 2025. Running down the Big Thompson River, the race begins with the duck drop from the new Riverside bridge across from the Estes Park Post Office. A little more than a half-mile away, the finish line stretches across the river at the Estes Park Visitors Center. Though this route is shorter, it is filled with much faster water than the former route down the Fall River. More race action!
- With the faster course, there will be multiple race heats. Each heat will compete for its share of the hundreds of prizes donated by local merchants. PLUS: the top duck finishers from each heat will be escorted back up to the starting line to compete in one final race for the grand prizes! You won’t want to miss the final!
- This exciting new racecourse demanded a bigger venue – so we made it so. The new venue spans the entire length of the course, encompassing Riverside Plaza and the Estes Park Visitor Center, as well as the riverwalk in between. Guests will have a full view of the ducks at any point along the course. Adopters will be notified of the heat assignment for their adopted ducks so they can take in the drop – or the finish – and/or every point in between.
More Things To Do!
- Retail merchants in and around the venue will be offering specials to duck adopters that visit their place of business. Grab a coffee, a mid-day meal, browse our many racks of Estes-wear, or draw a brew from dozens of NoCo taps scattered around the venue. And being a duck adopter – you’ll have a special discount to claim!
- A courtesy duck shuttle circles continuously around the venue as well as remote parking. This route will put you within walking distance of any part of the venue, along with the many dozens of merchants, attractions and restaurants throughout downtown Estes Park.
- Activities and entertainment are happening throughout the venue for the whole family to enjoy. Headline musical artists perform from the main stage at the east, while smaller groups perform in more intimate settings at various locations to the west. Grownup games and vendors are sprinkled throughout the venue for your enjoyment.
- And let’s not forget the kiddos! A special racecourse runs through Riverside Plaza along the Fall River – reserved just for kid ducks, Kid ducks are available for purchase at kid-sized prices, and can be customized by its owner. Races run continuously with winners getting a sweet treat from one of our merchant partners, and every owner keeps their kid duck as a souvenir. Didn’t win? Then put it in the next race and try again!
- Other fun kid activities include face painting, ceramic painting, balloon animals, mini-golf and more.
Get Your Ducks In A Row!
- It all starts with your online duck adoption. You’ll start receiving personal email updates on race day festivities. Whether you’ll be in Estes Park that day in person, or even if you’re a thousand miles away, you will be able to enjoy the fun – the time your duck races, where and when you can meet up with the people behind the organizations you’ve adopted – even know instantly what prizes you have won.
- When you arrive on race day, you’re our honored guest. Start by making your way to any hospitality tent, and any of our host ducks will make sure you’re checked in and good to go. Pick up a map, get your questions answered, inquire about the race schedule, adopt (more) ducks, get your duck merch – whatever you need to enjoy the day.
- You can register your cell phone to get personal text updates throughout the day, There are hundreds of prizes awarded across the various race heats. You will know if you won, and where you can go to redeem your prize that same day if you’d like.
- An internet livestream broadcasts continuously the entire day – both on loudspeakers and video displays throughout the venue, but also on the personal device in your pocket, as well as on your television at home if you can’t make it in-person. Every moment of every race is broadcast, interviews with organization VIPs, announcements of the winners, clips from entertainers and roving cameras around the venue capturing the fun. Bonus prizes may be randomly awarded to our in-person guests!
