05/24/2025
Listowel’s Spring Duck Race is back! Despite the cool and damp conditions, crowds of more than 100 people lined the Memorial Park pedestrian bridge and Davidson Street bridge on Saturday, May 24 to watch 900 ducks make their way down the Maitland River, with $1,800 in cash prizes on the line.
After a five-year hiatus, this beloved annual tradition was brought back thanks to a partnership between the Friends of the North Perth Public Library and Listowel Lions. Proceeds support Friends of the Library initiatives, including Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – an early literacy initiative that provides free books to more than 500 local children from birth to their fifth birthday
With 900 tickets sold at $10 each or $25 for 3, the event brought in more than $6,000 to support the Friends’ annual fundraising goal of $30,000. North Perth Public Library staff were on hand to offer a story walk and literacy activities, with the Listowel Lions serving up hot dogs and cold drinks.
This year’s sold-out event was kicked off with an introduction by Coun. Matt Richardson, including a tribute to long-serving Town Crier and Duck Race announcer, the late Mark TarBush.
Once the ducks entered the water, net-wielding volunteers waited at the finish line to pluck the five winning ducks from the water before retrieving the remaining 895 birds.
This year’s winning ducks:
First Place, $1,000 - #508 Heather Tolton
Second Place, $500 - #567 John Broughton
Third Place, $100 - #559 Caryn Lannin
Fourth Place, $100 - #575 Martin Shadwick
Fifth Place, $100 - #705 Paulette Coneybeare
