If you were to visit Tübingen, Germany in October, chances are you’d see thousands of ducks bobbing down river Necker, because this is what happens every year at the Tübingen Duck Race.
This may be Germany’s strangest festival, and that’s definitely saying something. Every year in the historic town of Tübingen, thousands of rubber ducks are freed from bathtub constraints to take a trip down the waterway. And while it may seem lighthearted and fun (and weird), it’s a race that gets pretty competitive, and the owner of the winning duck gets €10,000 worth of prizes!
Anyone who owns a rubber duck can participate in the festival, but you can also rent one for €3. Before the race begins, the names of the participants are written on the ducks and a metal weight is attached to the underside so they don’t flip over. The race begins when a truck drops the mass of ducks onto the flowing water, and they’re cheered on by the participants as they travel for 45 minutes from Alleenbrücke to Neckarbrücke.
The Tübingen Duck Race is now pretty famous, with people actually travelling here to participate in this awesome silliness. There actually exist corporate duck-racing specialists in Germany, and Germans take the activity quit seriously. While other festivals incorporate duck-racing, this is definitely the biggest and best-known in the country.
(Images via: www.amusingplanet.com)