By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

HELENA–The rain held off on Friday, May 12, and a few passing showers on Saturday, May 13, made for pleasant and cooler temperatures for the 16^th annual Buck Creek Festival in Helena.

Thousands of families, friends, residents and visitors alike roamed the grounds of the Helena Amphitheater to enjoy dozens of vendors, food, drinks and of course plenty of live musical entertainment.

Ten musical groups performed on the festival stage, kicking off with the first group at 6 p.m. on May 12 and concluded with Morgan Wallen as the final performance at 9 p.m. the following day.

Sandwiched between the musical acts and vendors was the legendary duck race in which thousands of yellow rubber ducks swept down Buck Creek.

The duck race began on Saturday, May 13 at 3 p.m., and plenty of people who had a duck in the race, or just came to watch, lined the banks of Buck Creek to see the festival tradition.

A canon sounded and the automatic dumper dumped thousands of rubber ducks into Buck Creek as one lucky person saw their duck cross the finish line first.

Krysti Thomason and her two children Emilie and Gunner Thomason were visiting the Buck Creek Festival for the first time and loved the duck race.

The Thomason’s drove more than an hour from Blountsville, Alabama to check out the festival on Saturday, May 13.

“This is our first time visiting the festival,” Krysti Thomason said while pulling her kids in a red wagon after watching the duck race. “I heard about the festival from my mom who invited us and we just love all the ducks. We will definitely be back in the future.”

Last year, the Buck Creek Festival raised $26,420 in total funds that was divided among multiple charities and organizations and the Buck Creek Festival committee is hoping the amount raised is greater in 2017.

Over the life of the festival, the total amount of money raised is $253,827. The money is placed back in the community for a variety of projects and organizations to benefit Helena.