Friday and time for another “Blast from my past”!
This week I decided to share a summer event known as the firemen’s festival. It was a very happy memory. It wouldn’t have felt like summer without the festival!
In our small town, we had at least three volunteer fire companies. The fire house for our area was just a hop, skip and jump from our house. One night a week the sirens would be blasted— I mean tested. Yes, they were very loud! If the sirens blared any other time during the week, you knew there was a fire. The sirens were calling all the firemen to come and help. These were dedicated volunteers who gave of their time to keep us safe.
Each firehouse held their very own festival at different times during the summer. Our neighborhood had the Citizen’s Hose Company Festival. I remember this event occurred from a Thursday to a Saturday, at the end of July or beginning of August. Something that everyone in the neighborhood — and perhaps the town — looked forward to each summer. It was a big event for us.
The Festival would be set up in the A & P Parking Lot (this was a grocery store). I believe there is a McDonald’s at this location now. The pieces of wood brought out would soon become various booths for games, food, ice cream, bingo and balloons. Lights would be strung everywhere.
One of my favorite games was the Fishing Pond. For just ten cents, you would throw your “line” over the top of the square booth, which was about six feet tall, and painted blue with fish. You had a “rod” with a string for the line, and a clothespin to catch your prize. Everyone would win a prize that was usually in a brown paper bag. Who were those mystery people behind the walls?
Of course, hot dogs were a specialty, which a lot of us adored. I believe they cost 25 cents. When ordering more than you could carry, a small, cardboard box would be provided to put those delicious delicacies in and take home. Yes, condiments of mustard, catsup, onions and relish could be added. Yum! A treat for all of us. Mom could afford two dollars, and we as kids were thrilled. As you can see by reading this, hot dogs are still one of my favorite foods! They should have their own food group.
Bingo was played, too. I remember the tables being set up. The participants were ready and set up to begin and win. Prizes would be rewarded if you scored the “Bingo” for the round. I believe the Bingo cards were cardboard, and perhaps pieces of field corn were used to mark the numbers being called. I never remember them using disposable paper cards or dabbers.
The ice cream booth was where I volunteered my time. My playground supervisor, Miss Glossner. was the daughter of the fireman that lived at the fire house, and she encouraged me to help out. I always enjoyed working there. It was the only time I waitressed. I never thought that was a very good job for me, as I would end up dumping something on somebody — not intentionally, of course. Ice cream was served in a paper bowl with a small wooden spoon. Yum!! Our town had a local manufacturer of ice cream. It was owned by the Brickleys. I would bet that is where the vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream came from for the festival.
Across from the ice cream booth was the cake walk. For those of you that do not know what this game is about, let me tell you. Cakes were baked by many of neighbors, then brought to the festival. I believe the firemen would canvas the neighborhood before the festival, and sign up those that would want to contribute a cake. The chairs would be put into a circle, participants would walk around the chairs, then grab one when someone said stop! A chair would be removed each time, until it was down to two participants and one chair. The last person to sit on the chair, won the cake that was being given away! (Just like Musical Chairs) I think it cost twenty five cents to participate. We occasionally ended up with a cake at our house. Believe me, all of us enjoyed cake on a Sunday night with ice cream.
There must have been raffles for prizes. My brother heard my sister’s name being called for a prize. (Remember I mentioned we lived nearby.) He got out of bed to go collect the prize, and it turned out be be a vacuum cleaner. I think my mom was thrilled.
Such a great memory from a small town in Pennsylvania. I often wonder if these kinds of festivals still occur in the rural areas of our country. A great time for all! For just a few dollars you could enjoy the festival.
Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you enjoy reading it as I do writing it.
Blessings from The Blogging Grandma