Inventor of ‘Ducking’ Jeeps visiting Jeep Invasion
While people walk through downtown Butler on Friday, June 7, as Jeeps swarm Main Street and many of its side streets, they may miss some of the other people and events going on at the same time, including a visit from a Jeep celebrity.
Allison Parliament started a movement in 2020, when she placed a rubber duck on a stranger’s Jeep as a humorous and kind gesture. “Nice Jeep,” was written on the duck’s underside. Over the following years, the Orillia, Canada, native has traveled North America in her 2018 yellow Rubicon giving out rubber ducks and autographs in hopes of making people smile.
“I started it after I was assaulted and I wanted to make people smile, and people were afraid of people coming to Canada because of COVID,” Parliament said. “I got caught doing it, and the gentleman who caught me thought it was hysterical and said I should put it on social. I did, and it took off.”
Parliament will return to this year’s Jeep Invasion, to autograph rubber ducks outside the Penn Theater. In addition to starting a movement, Parliament’s gesture started Duck Duck Jeep, a “no-profit nonprofit,” which has spread to dozens of countries. More than 60,000 people have documented their participation in the recently started tradition.
The simple act of “ducking” a Jeep has become a way for Jeep-lovers to communicate with one another. Parliament was inspired to perform the first ducking from seeing a Jeep she particularly liked — and she encourages other Jeep enthusiasts to do the same to Jeeps they spot out and about.
“He had a beautiful all-decked-out Jeep Wrangler, and I thought it was awesome,” Parliament said. “I wanted to say how much I appreciated his work and his rig. I did it to try to make his day better.”
People walking about the Jeep Invasion on Friday, June 7, likely will see numerous rubber ducks adorning the hoods and roofs of Jeeps of all shapes, sizes and colors. Some of them may even be placed by Parliament. People are encouraged to post their rubber duck finds on Instagram and tag Parliament’s page, OfficialDuckingJeepsEst2020.
“We put as much as we can into Duck Duck Jeep because it brings so much joy to people,” she said. “Members can join for free and post their stories and photos and interactions with the duck.”
The Butler Art Center & Gallery will be open throughout the Jeep Invasion and hosting a “Jeep Bash” featuring food, raffles and a dance contest.
Courtney McNamara, marketing and education director at the art center, said the center will be open from 5 to 9 p.m., and provide additional activity for people milling around the invasion.
“We're going to have pizza and popcorn, we're going to have raffles, we're going to have a swing-dance contest, there will be some merchandise for sale,” McNamara said.
Through June the art center will feature a 1940s display, which will include art inspired by World War II and the people who lived through it. McNamara said the center put together a memorial video of local people telling stories about family members who served in World War II, which also will be shown during the Jeep Invasion.
One of the grand prizes up for auction at the Jeep Bash is a painting created by McNamara, which features a fully colored image of the original Bantam Jeep. McNamara said the event will be a fun fundraiser for the art center.
“There's a DJ, we'll have music and all that fun stuff,” McNamara said. “We're trying to raise money for the art center.”
The Jeep Bash will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. June 7. Admission is $10 at the door.
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