Idaho Falls Rotary Club Dedicates Heritage Park Shelters, Launches 35th Annual Duck Race
Idaho Falls, Idaho — City officials, Rotary Club members, and community supporters gathered along the Snake River this week to mark a milestone for Heritage Park, cutting the ribbon on two newly completed picnic shelters and formally launching the Idaho Falls Rotary Club’s 2026 Duck Race fundraiser.
Heritage Park, a 10-acre green space situated on the western banks of the Snake River, was designed to celebrate the natural, cultural, and historical identity of Idaho Falls. The new shelters represent the latest chapter in a years-long community investment that has steadily transformed the site into one of the city’s most visited recreational assets.
Eight Years, $800,000 in Community Investment
Since 2018, the Idaho Falls Rotary Club has channeled more than $800,000 into Heritage Park improvements through proceeds from its annual Duck Race. That funding has paid for grading the property, installing an irrigation system, laying pathways, purchasing sod, and now constructing the two new covered shelters that were dedicated at this week’s ceremony.
Parks and Recreation Director PJ Holm praised the club’s sustained commitment to the project. “The new park shelters in Heritage Park are not just structures,” Holm said. “They are gathering places, where families will celebrate birthdays, where friends will reconnect, and where memories will be made for decades to come.”
Holm also credited the Rotary Club’s broader role along the Snake River corridor. “The Idaho Falls Rotary Club has played such a key role in developing the River Walk, and especially Heritage Park,” he said. “We are grateful for its ongoing commitment to creating beautiful spaces along the River Walk for current and future generations.”
The park’s development has been a model of private-public partnership. The Smith families donated the land that made the project possible. Ball Ventures funded construction of the parking lot. Morgan Construction transported and contributed the fill material needed to bring the park to grade. Volunteers coordinated through JustServe completed an extraordinary single-evening effort, laying more than four acres of sod in one night. Those shelter additions have been celebrated as a significant enhancement to the park’s infrastructure, giving families and visitors covered spaces to gather in any weather.
Duck Race Set for August 8
Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, attention turned to the 2026 Duck Race kickoff. A parade featuring some of this year’s prizes gave residents a preview of what’s at stake, including a sedan donated by Stone’s KIA and an ATV donated by ICCU.
Rubber ducks will go on sale online and at community booths throughout the summer months. The race itself is scheduled for Saturday, August 8, and is expected to draw participants from across Bonneville County and the broader East Idaho region. Residents interested in purchasing ducks or following event updates are encouraged to check the Rotary Club’s Facebook page for details as the summer progresses.
The Duck Race has become one of Idaho Falls’ most recognizable annual community fundraisers, generating the dollars that have directly funded the improvements visible in Heritage Park today. The model — community members buying symbolic rubber ducks that race down the Snake River — has proved remarkably durable as a fundraising mechanism, sustaining park development over nearly a decade.
A Park Built to Last Generations
City officials emphasized that Heritage Park represents what community-driven development can look like when private donors, nonprofits, businesses, and volunteers align behind a shared vision. The park is intended not just as a recreational space but as a connector — linking Idaho Falls residents to the Snake River, to local history, and to one another.
As the 2026 Duck Race season gets underway, the Rotary Club’s fundraising will continue supporting future phases of the park’s development, ensuring that Heritage Park remains a growing community asset for years ahead. Idaho Falls residents looking for other upcoming community events this summer can also follow coverage of Bonneville County’s annual ceremony honoring fallen heroes, scheduled for later this season.
What Comes Next
The 2026 Duck Race is set for August 8 along the Snake River in Idaho Falls. Duck sales will open in the coming weeks through online channels and community booths around the area. For race updates, prize announcements, and sales information, the Idaho Falls Rotary Club’s official Facebook page will serve as the primary source of information heading into the summer season.