03/20/2026
Student-Built Festival Brings Giant Public Art and 10,000-Duck Race to Downtown Cuyahoga Falls
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio - Beginning March 19, twelve-foot rubber ducks will begin appearing across Northeast Ohio.
The oversized “Giant Quackers” are part of a student-led marketing campaign launching the Ohio Rubber Duck Dash Festival, a three-day event taking place April 23–25 in Downtown Cuyahoga Falls.
Meet the traveling flock:
Peep (sponsored by Akron BBB), Sunny (United Way of Summit & Medina), Splasher (Stark State College), and Scooter (Acme Fresh Market).
From March 19 through April 25, the 12-foot ducks will visit Tallmadge, Peninsula, Munroe Falls, Hudson, Stow, Cuyahoga Falls, and three Swensons Drive-In “Duck Pond” locations.
They serve as the lead-in to festival weekend, when the World’s Largest Rubber Duck towers over Front Street, student artwork lines the sidewalks during the All-City Art Walk, and more than 10,000 rubber ducks race for major prizes on a custom 50-foot inflatable track.
Where Art Takes the Stage, and Ducks Take the Track
The Ohio Rubber Duck Dash Festival is a collaboration between student entrepreneurs and student artists.
Students in the Six District EntrepreNew program, hosted by Woodridge Local Schools, design, market, fundraise, and execute the event as a fully functioning business. At the same time, students from Cuyahoga Falls City School District transform Downtown through the All-City Art Walk, turning Front Street into a public gallery of murals, installations, and student artwork.
“This isn’t just a rubber duck race. It’s a real business built by students,” said Emily Kilgore, Entrepreneurship Teacher. “They handle the marketing, the sponsorships, the logistics, everything. At the same time, student artists are transforming Downtown into a living gallery. It’s entrepreneurship and public art colliding in the best possible way.”
“When students see their work displayed publicly, especially alongside something as large as the World’s Largest Rubber Duck, it sends a powerful message: your creativity belongs in the community. Your ideas matter here,” said Jennifer Shulman, Art Teacher at Cuyahoga Falls High School.
An art student participating in the All-City Art Walk added, “When your art is displayed publicly, it gives you confidence. It makes you think, maybe I really could do something with this.”
Festival Schedule
All events take place on Front Street in Downtown Cuyahoga Falls.
Thursday, April 23
World’s Largest Rubber Duck (duck installation begins at 9:00 am and is due to be completed by 4:00 pm)
Cuyahoga Falls City School District All-City Art Walk, 5:00–8:00 PM
Friday, April 24
Vendor and Food Truck Fair, 12:00–8:00 PM
Wing-Eating Contest, 6:00 PM
Saturday, April 25
Vendor and Food Truck Fair, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Ohio Rubber Duck Dash Race, 1:30 PM
During the Duck Dash, thousands of adopted rubber ducks race in timed heats, with finalists advancing to a championship round.
Prizes include:
$1,000 cash
$750 in Cedar Point gift cards
Cleveland Cavaliers tickets
Cleveland Guardians tickets and dining package
$500 Acme Fresh Market gift card
Swensons Drive-In for a Year
Step2 Ulimate Backyard Bundle
Duck adoptions are available at www.ohiorubberduckdash.com
Built by Students. Powered by Community.
The festival is presented in collaboration with the City of Cuyahoga Falls and powered by Big Duck Presenting Sponsor Acme Fresh Market, along with the Akron RubberDucks, Digital Sandwich Agency, Swensons Drive-In, United Way of Summit & Medina, Akron BBB, Stark State College, Collide Cuyahoga Falls, Wayne Agency, and Loud and Clear Music School as well as dozens of regional business partners. For a full list visit www.ohiorubberduckdash.com
From 12-foot Giant Quackers traveling city to city
To a six-story public art installation
To 10,000 ducks racing for glory
Ducks descend March 19.
Adopt your duck.
Festival weekend takes flight April 23–25.
