Giant duck fills bill at Amherstburg's Canada 150 show
CBC News | Posted: August 3, 2017 11:20 PM | Last Updated: August 4, 2017
Momma Duck is constructed from vinyl with a metal pontoon barge that weighs almost 10 tonnes
The six-storey tall mallard will wade into Amherstburg towering well above most buildings in the small southwestern Ontario town.
Momma Duck, also known as the World's Largest Rubber Duck, has been touring the country, making appearances on Canada's varied waterways, with her latest stop part of the town's Canuck it Up! party that celebrates Canada's 150th birthday.
The festivities include a lumberjack show, tours of tall ships, and of course the giant replica of the rubber bird so many children had floating around on bath nights.
Momma Duck captures audience attentions every where she goes, largely because she's so recognizable, explained Ryan Whaley, one of the masterminds behind the iconic attraction.
"Everybody recognizes it," he said. "It doesn't matter what country you're from, you know what a big rubber duck is and you probably had one in your bathtub as a kid."
The Ohio-built duck is constructed from vinyl with a metal pontoon barge that weighs almost 10 tonnes and anchors her in the water. With the right weather, she takes about two-and-a-half hours to inflate.
Whaley and his partner now know they came up with the right icon for their mammoth tourist attraction. Any time Momma Duck makes an appearance, she starts trending on social media sites, Whaley explained.
"You'll see a tonne of folks talking photos," he said. "Folks will show up in bath robes, shower nets and bath brushes and pose in front the duck like it's a big bathtub."
The Canuck It Up! party takes place on the Amherstburg downtown waterfront between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.