Staff file photo / Andy Gray Rubber ducks will float down the Mahoning River on Sunday for the 2nd Rotary Club of Warren River Duck Festival.

The Rotary Club of Warren’s River Duck Festival will expand its (webbed) footprint for its second edition.

The inaugural event used Perkins Park for its race down the Mahoning River with the lucky ducky’s owner taking home a cash prize. This year the Rotary also will be able to use the Warren Community Amphitheatre, event chair Cindy Matheson said.

“It was difficult to have everything that we wanted to have for the day as a big festival, not just the race, but other exciting things (going on),” she said. “That was hard to accomplish last year.”

Organizers will use the amphitheater stage for entertainment with Speed Limit and The Music Machine performing throughout the day.

“We’re also going to have James Dance Studio bring their students in,” Mattheson said. “We’re even going to have the Disco Ducks come and dance on the stage for us.”

Also new this year is a Kids Corner that will include activities such as face painting and a hula hoop contest.

Another big change is the timing. Last year’s event took place in late April, and northeast Ohio’s notoriously unpredictable spring weather made for a cool afternoon. And the April showers earlier in the month forced organizers to pick an alternate method for selecting a duck race winner due to high water and unsafe conditions.

“We wanted to represent the opening of the Mahoning River for recreational use (last year), but this year we moved it to summertime in hopes of having better weather,” Matheson said. “Having it on June 28, the weather will be better, and we’ll actually be able to utilize the river.”

Ducks can be purchased for $10 each or two for $17.76 in honor of America250. Each duck is numbered. The owner of the winning duck will receive $500, and the total prize pool is $1,200 for the race.

Online sales are over, but ducks will be available for purchase at the event. Duck sales close at 3:30 p.m., and the race starts at 4 p.m.

Last year the Rotary sold nearly 800 ducks. Organizers are hoping for at least 1,000 ducks this year.

Basket and 50/50 raffles also will help the Rotary raise money with proceeds from the event benefitting the Salvation Army, the local chapter of Disabled American Veterans, Healthy Hearts and Paws Project, Warren Family Mission and Animal Resource Center.

Warren Mayor Doug Franklin will arrive on a paddle boat at 12:45 p.m., and the opening ceremony with the dancing Disco Ducks is scheduled around 1:10 p.m.

Also planned Sunday will be a Jeep Meet with a Jeep parade at 2:30 p.m.

“People can buy little ducks to vote to throw into the basket of their favorite Jeep,” Matheson said.

Food vendors for the festival include Aulizio’s, Red Rican, Willy Nilly wood-fired pizza and Rollin’ Up ice cream.

Early publicity for the event said there would be alcohol sales this year, but Matheson said they abandoned the idea due to the additional costs involved, ranging from getting an alcohol sales permit to the additional security required.

“With it being on a Sunday afternoon, we felt let’s make this more family focused,” she said.

If you go …

WHAT: Rotary Club of Warren River Duck Festival

WHEN: Noon to 5:30 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Perkins Park, 689 Perkins Drive NW, Warren, and the Warren Community Amphitheatre, 321 Mahoning Ave. NW, Warren

HOW MUCH: Admission is free. The cost to buy a duck for the race is $10 for one or $17.76 for two, and ducks will be available for purchase at the event until 3:30 p.m. For more information, go to warrenrotary.org.