The world's biggest rubber duck is coming to Toronto
Last summer, Pokemon Go lured the whole city down to the lake. But in 2017, the world's largest rubber duck will have Toronto flocking to the water during the annual Redpath Waterfront Festival from July 1 to 3.
As part of the Ontario 150 Tour, Redpath will bring its waterfront programming and the rubber duck to five other Ontario towns - Owen Sound, Sault Ste. Marie, Midland, Amherstburg and Brockville.
At 61 feet tall, 79 feet wide and 89 feet long, this 30,000 pound rubber duck is a copy of Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman's Rubber Duck sculpture.
Hofman's original has garnered lots of criticism since it began its world-wide tour in 2007.
"It's easily the most visible public conceptual artwork in the world todayâmore so than any Banksy street tableau or Pussy Riot punk performance, if for its China tours alone," wrote Kriston Capps in The Atlantic's CityLab back in 2014.
"Rubber Duck is festival-ready, an insta-Instagram, approved by parents, developers, and even the authorities in such restrictive places like Baku. (A rubber duckie doesn't trigger government censors, silly.)."
When the knock-off version comes to the city, you can expect to see lots bright yellow flashes all over social media. And be sure to listen for spontaneous outbursts of "Rubber Duckie" (you're the one).
