The carnival provides fun activities for while raising funds to support Southwick's volunteer Fire Department, local charities and student scholarships.
Meghan Carroll, 7, of Southington, Conn., takes a ride on the Fun Slide at the Southwick Firemen's Carnival on Thursday.SOUTHWICK – The purpose of the annual Firemen’s Carnival continues to be providing fun activities for the public while raising funds to support the volunteer Fire Department, local charities and student scholarships.
Firefighter Dennis E. Day, a 23-year veteran volunteer and co-chair of this year’s carnival which opened Thursday night, said a main attraction will be a fireworks display Friday night by the town’s Park and Recreation Commission.
That will be followed Saturday with the return of helicopter rides from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the popular Firemen’s Parade featuring antique and modern firefighting apparatus and equipment and various community groups.
The carnival is at least 60 years old and in 2006 the association reached the $1 million mark in its donations to the town in the form of training and equipment for the department, other charities and scholarships to graduating seniors at Southwick-Tolland Regional High School.
The carnival is open today from 6 to 11 p.m. and Saturday immediately after the scheduled 6 p.m. parade until 11 p.m.
New this year will be the sale of pie slices by the newly formed Southwick Firefighters’ Auxiliary.
Admission is free and Day said proceeds are received from food sales, ride tickets, games of chance and a raffle supported by local businesses.
The carnival is held on School Department grounds located off Powder Mill Road between Powder Mill Middle School and Woodland Elementary School.