PARKERSBURG - Although tickets for the annual Rubber Ducky Derby have been sold in several local stores, the majority of them will be sold during this weekend's festival, an organizer said.
"The sales have gone great, so far," said homecoming president Randall Roberts.
While about 10 area stores sell the $5 tickets, most of those sold each year are sold during the homecoming event, which includes concerts, a booth set-up and volunteers walking among the crowd.
"Volunteers and homecoming committee members will be out all weekend selling the tickets," Roberts said. "In the parade, at a special booth downtown and pretty much anywhere people are the Rubber Ducky Derby tickets will be available."
The Rubber Ducky Derby is the most popular fundraiser for the homecoming and is one of the main sources of revenue for the event. Last year's contest raised $12,000 to help fund this year's long weekend, Roberts said.
Tickets for the derby are available at the following locations: Foodland stores, BB&T, ParMar, Pifer's BP, Community Bank, First Federal Bank, Blennerhassett Hotel Starbucks, Wolf's Camper Sales, United Bank and the Greater Parkersburg Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Another contest for the homecoming ended Thursday when Teri Rainey of Williamstown was chosen as the winner of the "Best Seat in the House" contest.
For the third year the homecoming committee has teamed up with Value City Furniture in Lakeview Plaza for the contest.
Rainey will receive VIP seating in front of the Suddenlink Stage today, Saturday and Sunday with two recliners donated by the furniture store. At the end of the weekend, Rainey will be able to take those recliners home.
Before the 6 p.m. opening ceremonies today, the chairs will be placed in the front row, center area in front of the Suddenlink Stage that Roberts and the homecoming committee are calling a "special reserved VIP location." The chairs will remain there through national music acts Bucky Covington today, Midnight Special on Saturday and Charlie Daniels on Sunday.
