By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

HELENA – For the 19th year, the Buck Creek Festival will return to Helena and the ducks will quack again May 8-9.

After 18 years of sacrificing time and putting in plenty of hard work, the original core committee group of the Buck Creek Festival retired after the conclusion of the 2019 Buck Creek Festival and a new board began to take shape.

The newly-formed 501(c)(3) non-profit, Helena’s Buck Creek Festival will produce the two-day annual event featuring live music, vendors, a children’s area and the festival’s signature attraction–the rubber duck race. Proceeds from the festival will continue to benefit local charities and service organizations.

“This festival plays such an important role in the character of our city,” Helena City Councilwoman Laura Joseph said. “Not only does it bring thousands of guests to Helena every year, it gives us an opportunity to come together as a community and just have a great time.”

Members of the new Helena’s Buck Creek Festival Board of Directors include Chairman Scot Newman, Joseph as Vice-Chairman, Treasurer JoAnna McClellan, Secretary Crystal McLoughlin and Board Member Emmanuel Scozzaro.

“This year’s festival is probably going to be a little different because we’ve got a new group of volunteers, but our mission and goals are still the same; to have a fun, family-friendly event that benefits the community and local charities,” Newman said.

Helena’s Buck Creek Festival is currently recruiting sponsors, vendors and musical acts to perform at this year’s event. For additional information, visit their Facebook page at Facebook.com/HBCF20.

For those interested in volunteering at this year’s festival, contact McLoughlin at crystal@mcloughlinconsulting.net.

For those interested in becoming a sponsor at this year’s festival, contact Joseph at ljoseph27@gmail.com.

For those interested in becoming a vendor at this year’s festival, contact Newman at helenasbuckcreekfestival@gmail.com.