After a week of unseasonably hot weather, this morning was cool and overcast in University Place, with just enough drizzle to remind you this is the Northwest, not South Florida.

In other words, it was perfect weather for ducks.

And ducks were everywhere today in University Place, which celebrated its 10th annual Duck Daze with a parade, a fire department open house and other festivities.

There were duck hats and duck visors. There were stuffed toy ducks and duck umbrellas. There were even duck mittens.

“I’ve got a bag of these things,” said Ray Dotson as he entertained children along the parade route with his mittens. “They go on sale after Easter.”

The parade along Bridgeport Way had all the usual elements: Boy Scouts, classic cars, horses and politicians scattering candy along the road for tots to scoop up.

At the city’s public safety building, firefighters showed off their shiny red engines to eager youngsters. Four-year-old Jessiah Jameson brought a book about fire trucks and leafed through it with firefighter Mark Oster. Jessiah, accompanied by mom Erin Jameson, couldn’t contain his enthusiasm for all things fire truck.

“Another fire truck!” he exclaimed as he surveyed his surroundings.

Nearby, dozens of vendors sold crafts, jewelry and other assorted wares. And families munched on hot dogs, potato chips and cake at the fire station.

But it was the ducks that set this festival apart.

Dixie Harris – sporting assorted duck paraphernalia today – helped found the first Duck Daze a decade ago. She saw a chance to bring University Place residents together to celebrate the end of the rainy season.

So why ducks?

“We just decided on ducks,” Harris said. “Everybody likes ducks.”