Video: Watch 60,000 Rubber Ducks Take Over The Chicago River

By Mae Rice in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 3, 2017 6:50PM

Today is a special day for the Chicago River: the day it's briefly filled with 60,000 rubber ducks. A dump truck pours the bath toys into the river for the 12th annual Rubber Duck Derby, a Chicago fundraiser for Special Olympics Illinois. Once they land in a giant yellow mass, the ducks—not that they know it—are racing to a downriver finish line.

It's a feel-good competition all around. Each duck has been "adopted" by a human, in exchange for a $5 donation to the Special Olympics; the "parent" of the duck that wins the derby gets, literally, a new car.

As with all good fundraisers, celebrities got involved. Cubs Catcher Willson Contreras did a video spot for the event, in which he casually holds a live duck until someone tells him this is more of a rubber duck thing.

He's not at the event right now, but he's there "in spirit." And the ducks are there in spirit and rubber-flesh. Here's footage of them pouring en masse off the Columbus Bridge and into the river:

Here's another cool aerial shot, via Dan Linden at ABC:

Here's the giant inflatable duck presiding over the festivities, wearing sunglasses, because ducks do that.

Here's Special Olympian Jose Moreno holding the winning duck aloft. Apparently, all the ducks in the derby wear sunglasses. They're cool, and I respect that.

And finally, here's some surreal brand synergy. Of course you can enjoy a duck-shaped cookie that reminds you of the Cubs, the Special Olympics, and Jewel!