The City of Fredericksburg and Fredericksburg Main Street will host the first Quacktoberfest on Oct. 17, 2026, from 2 to 6 p.m. as a free community festival featuring fall activities, vendors, carnival rides, live music, the rescheduled Rubber Ducky Derby and a Movie in the Park screening.
The derby, postponed from the Fourth of July due to extreme heat, starts at 3 p.m., followed by a 25-minute episode of Darkwing Duck and a dusk showing of Hocus Pocus. Residents can still adopt rubber ducks for the race at riverfriends.org/product/fxbg-rubber-ducky-2026, with prizes listed on a related Facebook post; the release notes ducks are selling quickly.
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Full Press Release:
News Release: A New Fall Tradition is Hatching: Introducing Quacktoberfest!
(Fredericksburg, VA) August 4, 2026 – The City of Fredericksburg and Fredericksburg Mainstreet are excited to announce the launch of Quacktoberfest on October 17, 2026 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., a brand-new free community festival bringing together autumn festivities, the rescheduled Rubber Ducky Derby and a special Movie in the Park experience. This first-ever event invites residents and visitors of all ages to enjoy a day filled with fall fun!
The Fourth in Fredericksburg Rubber Ducky Derby was rescheduled due to the extreme heat that impacted the Fourth of July events this year. The little yellow racers are ready to make their return as part of this new celebration.
Haven’t adopted a duck yet? Now’s your chance to! Visit here to adopt your duck: https://riverfriends.org/product/fxbg-rubber-ducky-2026/. They are selling fast and once they are gone, they are gone. Visit https://www.facebook.com/share/p/194rewzQuy/, to see all the fun prizes that you could win if your rubber duck swims the fastest.
The Rubber Ducky Derby will begin at 3 p.m. on October 17, followed by a 25-minute episode of Darkwing Duck before a dusk showing of Hocus Pocus during Movie in the Park. The Quacktoberfest festival will take place from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and will feature fall-themed activities, vendors, carnival rides, live music, the Rubber Ducky Derby, and more.
Grab your lawn chairs and flannels and get ready to welcome a new Fredericksburg tradition. It’s going to be a little bit of fall and a whole lot of fun!
More details about Quacktoberfest can be found here: fxbg.com.
