If you happen to spot an enormous, yellow figure cresting the horizon in the coming weeks, do not be afraid. It is not a second sun ascending into the sky, but rather, the World’s Largest Rubber Duck, towering over Maryland’s waterways.
This whale of a waterfowl will be traveling to the Bay region for the first time this August. After making stops in Michigan and New York, the World’s Largest Rubber Duck makes a visit to the Leonardtown Wharf for its Wharf Fest party Aug. 4 through 6 and then will be in Crisfield for the Little Big Townfest at Somers Cove Marina Aug. 11 to 13. Both events will feature duck selfies, music, games and activities, vendors and food and drink.
Craig Samborski, the creator of this sunny touring inflatable, has traveled with Mama Duck all over the country since 2014 to spread smiles and inspire us all to enjoy and conserve our natural resources. Measuring in at a whopping 61 feet and weighing 15 tons, this larger-than-life bath toy, affectionately named “Mama Duck”, rivals the size of a sperm whale.
“It brings joy to people, when you look at something that is so whimsical, and totally exaggerated with its size,” Samborski says. “A rubber duck is one of the few global icons that everybody can identify.”
The tradition started as a quirky practice between fellow Jeep owners, leaving rubber ducks perched on each other’s windshields as a sign of their admiration. Working in collaboration with charitable organizations like the Kindness Duck Project, Samborski has continued to embark on his mission of spreading kindness and joy across the globe. Follow the duck at https://thebigduck.us/ or on social media.
