A crowd of over 20 onlookers hiked down to the beach at Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary to cheer on an invasion of yellow rubber ducks on August 13.

Each year, the Wildlife Sanctuary sells both individual and bundles of rubber ducks for their annual Duck Derby. This year, 7,000 ducks were sold, and they all raced in on a current from Buzzards Bay. Staff collected the toys in a large net at the end of the course, and identified the winning duck.

Property Manager Lauren Donnelly said the tradition began 13 years ago, when a volunteer who worked for the sanctuary mentioned a duck derby in Athol, and wanted to bring the event to the South Coast. This year’s numbers transcended the numbers of years past, and staff scrambled to paint numbers on 500 additional ducks to meet the demand, Donnelly said.

Among those watching the race were Rachel Disick and Josie Ryan-Small.

“I was excited to see it,” Disick said after seeing the spectacle for the first time. “I thought it sounded like a unique tradition.”

Ryan-Small, who has attended about five other derbies, said she enjoys feeling like a part of the community at the well-known tradition.

“Lots of people do duck races, but we have the most amazing prize,” Donnelly said, adding that the grand prize for the first place duck includes a dinner for two anywhere in the world, which includes round-trip airfare and two nights of lodging.

The lucky winner will be announced at the Duck Derby Festival on August 14, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. The festival is also held at the sanctuary at 1280 Horseneck Road.