RVA Duck Race and Festival of Inclusion calls on volunteers

RICHMOND, Va. --The RVA Duck Race and Festival of Inclusion returns next weekend and organizers are asking for your help.

More than 8,000 people are expected to fill Brown’s Island on Saturday, August 3, to watch 18,000 rubber ducks float down the canal and race towards the finish line.

The winning duck’s owner will receive $10,000.

Dr. Carly Dragan is director of applied behavior analysis for Spectrum Transformation Group in Chesterfield and serves as a junior board member for the Autism Society of Central Virginia (ASCV).

She told CBS 6 they need volunteers to sign up to help make the annual festival a success.

“The mission, essentially, is to get together with the Greater Richmond community and bring everyone - not just individuals with autism or other disabilities - but the general population together and have fun,” Dr. Dragan explained.

They encourage you to visit their website, RVADuckRace.org , to purchase ducks and to sign up to help.

The festival is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and includes a sensory-friendly festival, designed to include and accommodate individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.

In addition to live performances, local food trucks, and live entertainment, dozens of local organizations will bring five different Festival of Inclusion zones to life during the 2024 event.

“Our goal is to create an event that not only features disability-inclusive activities and experiences for our families but also celebrates neurodiversity with our broader RVA community,” shares ASCV’s Executive Director, Ann Flippin.

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