Updated Friday with pics by Josh Kellogg from the carnival’s first night.
Original story follows:
Chatfield Park will be a lively spot in town this weekend with the arrival of a carnival to mark the 125th anniversary of Citizens Engine Co. No. 2.
The carnival, which kicks off the evening of Thursday, June 25 at 6 p.m., features food and amusement rides in addition to live music. The carnival runs through Sunday, June 28.
Fireworks to mark the engine co.’s birthday are scheduled for June 26 at Chatfield Park, with a rain date of June 27.
Finally, a parade — kicking off at 1 p.m. on Day Street with about 120 fire trucks, 60 fire companies and more than 600 firefighters — is scheduled for Sunday, June 28.
Click here for more information about the events, including a map of the parade route.
Not a bad way to mark 125th years of service for the volunteer fire company.
Seymour Fire Chief Scott Andrews, who is chairman of the department’s 125th anniversary committee, said the volunteers have worked since 2007 to get everything together for these celebrations.
Many of the 70 active volunteers are excited for the parade, naturally, and Andrews said it makes sense to have a carnival to get the community involved in the celebration.
“The parade and carnival is a traditional way to celebrate,” Andrews said.
Citizens Engine President Gary Cavallaro is hoping to have more than 1,000 people in Seymour over the four-day celebration.
“Hopefully, we can get the word out,” Cavallaro said.
The company will recognize the firefighters who have donned the Citizens uniform at DeForest Street since 1884.
The company was originally organized in May 1882 as Ocean Fire Company No. 1.
It became Humphreys Engine & Hose Company No.1 a month later.
Town residents contributed money to the company to help it purchase a new steam fire engine in 1884 for $3,100. Because of the support, the company was reorganized and renamed Citizens Engine Company No. 2.
Like its younger counterpart, Great Hill Hose Company No. 1, Citizens has always been a completely volunteer corps.
“The morale (among the members) keeps us going,” said Randy Lewis, a 36-year member of the company and parade committee chairman. “The reason I’m doing it is to do something for the community. We don’t do it to be a hero or to get our names in the paper. Everyone is basically the same.”
Lewis took on the parade organization duties because of his father, Edward Lewis, a past captain at Citizens.
Both men worked to organize the company’s 100th anniversary celebration in 1984.
Lewis said the response to requests for involvement in the upcoming celebration “has been phenomenal. We’ve been getting emails and phone calls from businesses and other firefighters. The word’s got out,” he said.
Finally, citizens will also host a community block party on Aug. 29 at the firehouse on DeForest Street.
