After a long hiatus, the beloved Barrington Education Foundation Duck Race is making a comeback.

The race, which ran from the early 1990s through 2014, will return to town on Saturday, Oct. 5, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Wood’s Pond, near the Peck Center Building.

The race was a festive highlight on the community calendar for years, before taking a break to make way for new events hosted by the Barrington Education Foundation, a local volunteer-driven non-profit organization. 

In keeping with past races, this year’s event will feature family-friendly activities, including kid games, popcorn, Del’s Lemonade, music, a raffle basket, and, of course, the main event—dozens of yellow rubber ducks racing to the finish line at Wood’s Pond. 

The Barrington Fire Department will “assist” the ducks in their race across the pond; firefighters will spray a stream of water onto the ducks, propelling them toward the finish line. 

The race will take place directly after the Town’s Great Pumpkin Harvest party (geared towards ages 2 to 12) at Town Hall from noon to 2 p.m., creating a fun-filled afternoon for local families.

People can purchase tickets to sponsor a rubber duck. There will be cash prizes for the first three ducks to cross the finish line. 

Robin Shapiro, BEF co-president, said the nonprofit group is very excited about offering the event to a new generation.

“We hope the event not only introduces our younger families to the BEF but also brings back fun memories for families with older children,” Shapiro said. “We think people will get a kick out of the new duck mascot who will bring a big presence to the event!”

In the years since the duck race last took place, BEF has hosted events such as the STEAM community-wide initiative, the Student Showcase, educational documentary screenings, and the 2023 Wellness Expo. 

However, the excitement for the duck race never faded. As inquiries about its return grew, the organizers knew it was time to bring back the ducks. 

“We’ve been discussing for a while now, an event that would continue to raise awareness of BEF’s mission and generate support for its annual teacher grants,” stated a press release for BEF. “We decided it would be a great time to host a ‘redux,’ bringing residents together on a fall day to support a wonderful cause—our Barrington Public School teachers and students.”

The event has garnered generous support from 23 local businesses, including eight year-long business partners of BEF, with several others providing in-kind donations. 

BEF has been a key supporter of innovative teacher grants for 33 years, enriching the educational experience for Barrington students. The grants provide resources beyond typical budget constraints, such as Water Rowers and a Positivi-Tea cart at Barrington Middle School, Project Putt materials at Hampden Meadows School, Calming Corners for K-5 students, and a Challenge Success college program at Barrington High School.