By Nathan Duke
Staff Writer

The 12th Annual Duck Race in Auburn turned into a full-day event this year, starting early with the first parade to accompany the race in 10 years and ending with a bonfire. A record 2,000 ducks were sailed as hundreds of residents and visitors cheered on and around Griffin Dam.

Kaitlyn Minakin sits at the edge of Griffin Dam to watch the 12th annual Auburn Duck Race on Saturday, Sept. 10. As ducks became trapped in weeds on the side of the dam, Minakin helped put them back in the race. (Nathan Duke Photo)

As state fairs and old home days begin to pop up all over southern New Hampshire from early September through mid- October, the duck race offered attendees a slightly different type of gathering.

Resident Maryann Conner said the race is one of a kind in the state and one of the town's premiere events during the year.

"I think it has turned out great this year - it is really well-organized," she said. "(The race) is one of this community's biggest events. There are a lot of people moving into Auburn, so today provides a lot of opportunities for people to meet people. A lot of towns have big town days, but we do it a little differently here. It is a nice small town event and not as commercialized."

Planning for the day's events was undertaken by resident Norm Bouley Jr. and the Auburn Historical Association. Bouley helped make possible the first parade to accompany the race in 10 years, through extensive planning and reaching out to television and radio stations, sponsors and businesses in a number of towns. The Auburn Historical Association planned the duck race.

The parade began at Bunker Hill Road at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10 and ended at the Auburn Village School. The Auburn fire and police departments, local Scout groups, the Ameri-Kids, the Memorial High School Band, various military branches and the forestry department, which sprayed passersby with a hose, all took part in the parade.

Following the parade, a variety of organizations, including the Auburn fire department, the American Red Cross and the Red Hat Society served foods of various types to residents, while historical musician Bob Kilham and rhythm and blues band Rhumboogie provided live entertainment.

Around 2 p.m., hundreds of residents, families and visitors from out of town crowded around Griffin Dam and on the bridge overlooking dam to watch the 2,000 plastic ducks compete for the grand prize of $1,000. About two dozen children sat on each side of the dam, almost reaching the water, to watch the ducks float by.

The race began at 2:30 to loud cheering and children crowded the banks of the creek in Auburn Village to watch the ducks float by and help untangle straggler ducks.

Resident Jean Wozniak said Auburn does not typically have a lot of community events of this type, so her expectations of the day were far surpassed.

"I was recently commenting on the fact that our community is a small town, where a lot of people work out of town," she said. "There are not a lot of community events, but (the duck race) is great. We've had a duck race in town for years, but never on this scale."

Participants in the day's events said they were happy to be able to provide entertainment for the members of their community.

"The community has supported us in many ways," said Darcy Beirne, who coaches the Ameri-Kids, a group of area students, ages 4 to 17, who perform dance numbers to a variety of different styles of music. "As a coach, I think it is important for us to give back to the community."

While the duck race was certainly the most well-attended event of the day, other elements drew some of the younger community members to Auburn Village.

"Are you kidding? My kids wanted to come out and eat the food," said Ray Furgal, whose family entered four ducks in the race.

A number of residents said they like the duck race and other events of the day because it brings community members and families together.

"I like the neighborhood atmosphere," said resident Gail Maguire. "People who work together are here having fun together. There is lots of camaraderie."