Beacon Hose hosting annual firemen’s carnival

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The YoYo swings children around during the Beacon Hose No. 1's annual carnival in 2010. Beacon Hose will host this year’s carnival beginning next Thursday through Saturday. –RA ARCHIVE

BEACON FALLS — Live music, rides, great food, and a parade? It must be time for Beacon Hose Company No. 1’s Annual Firemen’s Carnival.

The fire department has been putting this carnival on for more than 40 years, Beacon Hose spokesman Jeremy Rodorigo said.

The carnival begins on Thursday and runs through Saturday at the firehouse downtown.

Rodorigo explained that it will have the typical carnival atmosphere, with rides, games, and live music.

However, he said, what makes this carnival stand out is the food.

In addition to the traditional carnival fare of hamburgers, hot dogs, and fried dough, some of the food that will be available is fresh Maine lobster, steamed clams, fried Oreos, and steak sandwiches.

According to Rodorigo, the fire department also makes a sausage, pepper, and onion sandwich that is not to be missed

“Beacon Hose Company is very good at making great food,” Rodorigo said.

Those who are of legal drinking age will be able to enjoy their food with a cold beer in the carnival’s beer garden.

This year the carnival will also feature frozen margaritas and piña coladas.

The carnival will feature live music from a different band each night — scheduled to play are The New Originals, Driven, and Jimmy Hat.

The annual firemen’s parade will also take place on Saturday

Rodorigo said nearly three dozen fire departments participate in the parade. He said many come from all across the state just to participate.

First Selectman Gerard Smith said he enjoys the parade. He feels the fact that the town has such a big parade is an indicator of how important the fire department is to the community.

“Fire departments come from all around. I think it shows the respect people have in that industry, the amount of people that come from all over,” Smith said.

Rodorigo explained most fire companies have done away with carnivals because putting one on is very difficult to pull off. However, Rodorigo said Beacon Hose realizes how important it is to people to have this carnival every year.

“The carnival is a fixture in town. People look forward to it every year,” Rodorigo said. “Even though it requires a lot of hard work, it means a lot to the people.”

Smith said the carnival is a way for the fire department to reach out to the town and for the residents of Beacon Falls to come together and have a good time.

“It’s a way of for the people to show mutual respect back and forth, between the people and the fire fighters,” Smith said.

Rodorigo explained, since the fire department has put this carnival on for so many years, it runs extremely smoothly, despite all the hard work.

“Beacon Falls is fortunate that we [the fire department] have this carnival and have gotten it down to a science,” Rodorigo said.

The carnival will be held Thursday from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m., Friday from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m., and Saturday from 3 p.m. until 11 p.m.

1 COMMENT

  1. Several years ago I had lived in Beacon Falls for a couple of years and didn’t know about the Carnival. One Sunday I was flying to Denver and when I mentioned Beacon Falls to the woman in the next seat, she told me about the BEST Fire Engine parade she’d ever seen, and it was the night before IN BEACON FALLS, CONNECTICUT. I couldn’t believe it – IN OUR LITTLE TOWN !

    The next year, we learned something. SHE WAS RIGHT, and we haven’t missed one since.

    THANK YOU to Beacon Hose Company 1 for a great time year after year, and MUCH more importantly, THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US SAFE day after day.