SUSIE THE DUCK DAY
All Events - Saturday, August 13, 2005
Come to Lodi and meet Susie the Duck
Shopping - Dining - Duck Derby - A Day of Enjoyment
Duck Derby and Run/Walk, rain or shine
Lodi Library Run/Walk starts at 8 am and proceeds are used to fund library technology purchases
Lodi Valley Farmer's & Flea Market at the Lodi Bowl parking lot
Rotary Summer Parade begins at noon downtown on Main Street
Susie's Lodi Duck Derby
Race starts at 1:30 PM after the Parade
Sponsored by the Lodi Chamber of Commerce
$1500 Grand Prize / $5.00 per duck
50 cents per duck sold donated to a yearly community endeavor
The Susie Story
The wrought iron arch above Spring Creek says it all: Home of Susie the Duck. However, one of the most common inquiries heard in Lodi concerns the distinction given this duck, called Susie.
The simple, but charming story, springs from the nest of the country mallard who settled in downtown Lodi in 1948. She laid her eggs in a masonry flower basket at the bridge where guests could observe her brood.
The duck captured the imagination of Lodi Police chief Will Breunig, who promptly named the mascot "Susie" after his granddaughter.
However, this is only part of the story. Her maternal mannerisms endeared the brown bird to many other locals. Soon, word of her faithful annual return to the flower basket to hatch two clutches of eggs each year gained national media attention.
Ambitious city fathers decided to seize the spotlight and host the first "Susie the Duck Festival". That tradition of recognizing Susie and her feathered friends continues to this day.
