Rubber Duck season in Maryland - 25th August 2023

Duck frenzy's broken out in the US as fans of the giant yellow Rubber Duck flock to Maryland for a nostalgic viewing of their favourite childhood toy. Amber Mundy's over the moon the duck's so near her residence.

Amber Mundy: "I'm here to see the giant duck! I love ducks! I collect them! And so, I wanted to see it for the first time. So, I've seen it like, growing up, and so like, I was like, oh I wanna see it for real now. And it came to Maryland. So, I was gonna go to Toronto to see it but I'm glad it came here."

Making a journey of over 100 miles to witness the giant duck in person, David Lewis and his wife represent the timeless appeal of the toy.

David Lewis: "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to come see this duck. I've never seen it before, never heard about it. We drove 91 miles one way just to come see the duck in beautiful Leonardtown, Maryland."

The brainchild of Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, the six storey tall rubber duck was inspired by and modelled after the creation of a Hong Kong company Tolo Toys. Having made its debut appearance in 2007, the giant yellow duck has since made a splash in several cities around the world.

Hofman's Rubber Duck is crafted afresh at every stop, embodying his vision of it being appreciated as temporary street art. Using nothing but a sewing machine, the rubber duck comprises 200 PVC segments which are connected by hand; each newly constructed rubber duck houses an internal fan for instant inflation. Though each giant rubber duck's size may differ, they never cease to amaze.

Maria Sandoval: "I'm looking at it now and it's definitely a lot bigger than I expected it and it's, it's really cool."

Also dubbed 'Mama Duck', the giant yellow Rubber Duck has surpassed two decades in existence, and a substantial portion of her enthusiasts has matured alongside her. This includes ardent follower Emily 'Ducky' Donoghue.

Emily Ducky Donoghue: "I've been wanting to see this duck for as long as I can remember. My sister showed me a picture of this like, when I was maybe like 11 years old. And since then, I've been wanting to see this duck for so long, cause I've been in love with ducks since I was just like so little. And this is like a dream come true."

Will the giant yellow Rubber Duck grace your city next?