River race canceled

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Festival, duck race still on

Michael Krenesky, in back, and Robert Bradley of Beacon Falls release the rubber ducks last year into the Naugatuck River for the Beacon Falls Lions Club’s annual duck race. –FILE PHOTO
Michael Krenesky, in back, and Robert Bradley of Beacon Falls release the rubber ducks last year into the Naugatuck River for the Beacon Falls Lions Club’s annual duck race. –FILE PHOTO

BEACON FALLS — The 7th annual Naugatuck Valley River Race set for Saturday has been canceled due to high water levels.

Dave Faber, organizer of the race, announced the cancellation on the race’s Facebook page.

“We did not come to this decision easily but know it’s the correct decision and the right thing to do for the paddler’s safety,” Faber wrote in the post.

Faber said the river levels were studied Friday. He wrote the river is moving very fast and the banks are over trees making it too risky.

The Beacon Falls River Fest and Lion’s Club duck race are still on as scheduled. The festival will be held from 12 to 5 p.m. at Volunteer Park behind the firehouse on North Main Street.

The festival will feature vendors, live music and family activities. It all leads up to the annual duck race.

Tickets for a rubber duck to enter the race are $5 each. All the rubber ducks are collected and dumped into the river to race. Duck race tickets will be available during the festival.

First place prize this year is $1,000 and second place wins a 14-foot Wilderness Systems Kayak. The ducks that come in third to seventh place will win a $100 gift certificate from local businesses for their owners.

All of the money raised supports local charities.