STAR CITY — A flock of yellow rubber ducks flew from the Star City Bridge into the Monongahela River Saturday, as the Shack Quack Family Festival got underway.
Families were welcomed to the event to enjoy live music, have an ice cream cone and pet exotic animals like a boa constrictor and a tortoise.
Tia Lasporgara, executive director of the Shack Neighborhood House, said the festival is meant to bring people in the community together for a safe, free event, as well as getting the word out about the resources at the Shack.
Businesses in the community sponsor the duck race. Some of this year’s sponsors included CITYNET, Steptoe & Johnson and Cardinal Pediatrics.
The Shack has around 20 different programs it offers to the community. The building in the Scott’s Run community offers Family Fun Nights, before- and after-school care, a baby pantry and newborn baby outreach.
“All of our programs are free or on a sliding scale fee. What makes the Shack the Shack is community. It’s for everyone to come together to know about it,” she said.
She said making sure people are aware of the Shack and its programs is important.
“This is what we do. We bring children and families together to have a good time. Build a relationship and a connection,” she said.
Though it takes some time and planning, the Shack has been putting on the festival for a while now and people look forward to the once-a-year event.
“Star City’s mayor and everyone. They get us organized,” she said.
Lasporgara said every year’s duck race is a little different depending on weather. The goal is for the ducks is to reach a buoy, and the first place winner wins $1,500. Sponsorship is what makes the prizes possible.
Brady Tucker, financial officer for the Shack, said it takes a lot of work counting the ducks and making sure they’re numbered and organized. Organizing vendors, volunteers and sponsorships is also imperative to making the Shack Quack Family Festival possible.
“It takes a lot of hours. A lot of planning. Usually we start planning in May to get everyone scheduled,” he said.
Tucker said the Shack provides a festival every month, but the big festival is to send summer off on a sweet note. If you missed the festival, the Shack offers Family Fun Nights the third Friday of every month free of charge.
