Loon Race Draws Crowd of Spectators

100 people join AIC celebration
6/1/2012

Scores of rubber loons tumbled out of traditional Adirondack pack baskets and into the Rich Lake Outlet May 26 to help celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Adirondack Interpretive Center's (AIC) operation under new leadership.

The Loon Drive was part of the AIC's Loons and Logs event, which highlighted the two most iconic symbols of human and natural history in the Adirondacks. A daylong schedule of educational presentations and demonstrations by the ESF Woodsmen's Team preceded the race, which raised money to support AIC programs.

"The event was wildly successful," said AIC Program Coordinator Paul Hai. The programs were informative and fun, the Woodsmen did some great demonstrations, we didn't lose any loons and the weather was absolutely ideal with almost no black flies - amazing for this time of year and we had close to 100 people at the event."

The loon race made history as the first race of its kind to use American-made rubber waterfowl. In addition, organizers believe the custom-made birds were the first rubber loons based on a traditional rubber duck concept.