May 28, 2015
Nick Ut/AP
A giant inflatable rubber duck floats past the USS Iowa Battleship at the Port of Los Angeles on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2014.
The world's largest and best traveled rubber duck is making its way to Philadelphia for next month's Tall Ships Philadelphia/Camden, taking place June 25-28.
How big are we talking? Try 61 feet tall and 11 tons!
According to PhillyMag, national event production company Draw Events is coordinating the arrival of the float, which is based on Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman's original "Rubber Duck" installation plan. Made of an inflatable vinyl covering, the duck has previously appeared in Amsterdam, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, where it blew up the spot at last year's Tall Ships LA, attracting more than 300,000 people over five days.
The duck was reportedly pre-assembled and advance tested in Los Angeles before being sent to New Jersey last November. When it's time for Tall Ships to get underway, a 15-ton crane will be required to drop the yellow mass into the Delaware.
Curiously, in part due to past mishaps, including vandalism against a knock off duck in Belgium, the installation will be deflated and re-inflated each day of Tall Ships.
This year's Tall Ships Philadelphia/Camden lineup features L'Hermione, Barque Eagle, El Galeon, and Philadelphia's own Tall Ship, Gazela. On both sides of the river, admission to the event starts as low as $7, with $16 covering tours of the ships and $85 to go sailing one of them.
Learn more about the event here.
