Thousands of rubber ducks race for a cause in the annual Chicago Ducky Derby downtown

CHICAGO — Thousands of rubber ducks raced down the river Thursday for an annual event that raised funds and awareness for the athletes of Special Olympics Illinois.

The annual Chicago Ducky Derby kicked off on Thursday morning and crowds gathered at Pioneer Court along North Michigan Avenue as they waited to see which duck took the top prize.

Participants who purchased a duck for $10 looked on as the mass of rubber waterfowl made its way down the river and a handful of lucky donors whose ducks crossed the finish line first will be awarded one of three available prizes, including a Chevy Trailblazer, a $2,500 Cash Prize and tickets to the Cub’s W Club Chicago.

But this year’s competition was stiff, as those hoping to get their hands on one of the big prizes faced more than 70,000 other ducks making their way down the river.

This year’s event saw the adoption of 76,000 ducks, 95% of the 80,000 goal, which raised more than $394,000.

The derby festival got underway at 10 a.m. and festivities run through 2:30 p.m.

The official splashdown took place along the Columbus Drive Bridge and in addition to the duck launch, the event also featured food trucks, a live DJ, and activities for kids.

Additionally, a Splashdown Watch Party was held at The Northman, located in the 200 block of East Riverwalk, at 11:45 a.m.

Most importantly, there is no need to worry about pollution, as after the event, all of the ducks will be removed from the water and saved for next year’s derby.

The duck drop officially took place at 1 p.m.