This year's event June 16-19 It's a tradition that dates back over 60 years - the Spencerport Fire Department offering the community festive summertime events. In 1937, Ed McKinney, Sr. and Ken Barclay were part of the original committee of volunteer firemen who decided they needed a fundraising event. They came up with the idea of organizing Field Days that would feature games such as horseshoes and small competitions much like a state fair. They sold hot dogs for 10 cents a piece and beer for a quarter. It was the only fundraiser the fire department had at the time. Today, the tradition continues, and while the event that has grown into four days and two parades is not the only fundraiser the fire department does, it still brings in a significant amount of revenue for the group. Last year, approximately 50,000 people from all over the Greater Rochester area attended the four day event, according to department representatives. It's not clear when exactly the first parade took place but the records dating back to 1965 show expenses paid out for parade costs. A few years ago it became necessary to have two nights for parades rather than one. "It got to the point where some of the bands were marching in the dark by the time we were finished. No one wants to sit through a parade for that long," volunteer fireman and one of the carnival organizers, Mike Lobene, stated. This year, the youth parade will be held on Wednesday, June 16 and will feature local youth sports, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Thursday, June 17 the Grand Parade will feature marching bands, fire departments, and other groups from up to 100 miles away. One special attraction this year will be an appearance by Ogden resident Debra Sciolino. Sciolino is a finalist in the Mrs. New York pageant to be held June 25 and 26 at the Monroe County Fairgrounds in Henrietta. The carnival begins Wednesday night and continues through Saturday evening, June 19. As they have for over 38 years, Powers Great American Midway will provide the carnival rides and games that bring the people back year after year. Spencerport's carnival is one of the first of the summer in this area and it is always well attended, according to organizers. Bad weather - heat, cold, rain - none of it seems to bother the attendees. The only exception was in 2001 when one-half inch of hail fell. That Saturday afternoon the carnival had to be shut down. Along with the old favorites like ring toss, fried dough, and the "tilt-o-whirl," there will be some new features this year. In the beer tent this year they will be serving fried bologna alongside the specially made brew, SFD Ale. This ale is made by the Rohrbach Brewing Company specifically for the Spencerport Carnival. There will be a DJ spinning tunes on Friday evening and Saturday night, local entertainer Jeff Elliott will be featured. "Jeff plays Jimmy Buffet type of music," Lobene said. Along with the many hours of work it takes to put together this parade and carnival every year, there is one activity that the firemen enjoy above all else and for the most part goes unrecognized in the community. On Thursday morning of carnival weekend, the firemen and auxiliary play host to the special needs children in the area. They help the children ride the rides, play the games, and then they serve them lunch. "Every one of us gets out there that day and helps out," Lobene said. Advanced tickets for the carnival are on sale now at local businesses, such as IGA and Pontillo's, as well as the Ogden and Spencerport offices. The best deal, as always, is the all you can ride from noon to five p.m. on Saturday afternoon. That ticket is $15 at the gate or $12 with a coupon (see an advertisement in this week's Suburban News and Hamlin-Clarkson Herald). While Spencerport continues to grow in population, the amount of calls the fire department responds to also rises, according to department statisticians. Last year, they answered approximately 800 calls, up significantly from the previous years. Department members attribute the increase in calls to more people in the community but also to some major storms the past couple of years. Still, this all volunteer fire department is one of the best staffed in the county with no room at the present time for more volunteers. The firemen think that's a great situation to be in rather than the alternative of looking for more help. |
