Vernon Residents Flock to Support Annual Firemen's Carnival in Ellington

The Vernon Fire Department was a big winner at the Ellington Volunteer Fire Department parade that coincides with the department's annual carnival.

Fire departments from Ellington, Crystal Lake, Vernon, Somers, Broad Brook, Tolland, Mansfield, Warehouse Point, East Windsor, the CT Fire Museum, Shaker Pines – Enfield, Bolton, South Windsor, Manchester/8th Utilities District, Willington Hills, East Farmington, East Granby, Bloomfield, East Hartland, Agawam, Cromwell, Canaan, Simbury, Middlebury, Windsor Locks, Riverton (Barkhamsted) and Norfolk all took part in this year's parade.

The parade was judged by the Connecticut Parade Marshals Association.

Vernon's fire department took honors such as the “MAC Farrell Host Choice,” which is chosen by the Ellington Volunteer Fire Department, “Best Appearing Fire Unit without Music,” “Best Appearing: Rescue” and “Most Firefighters in Line.”

“We had 40-45 members take part,” said Vernon Fire Chief William Call. “Everyone did a good job.”

Call said Vernon has participated in the parade for as long as anyone can remember and said his firefighters scrubbed the apparatus to prepare for Saturday's parade – including the 1985 rescue truck that was polished up for the occasion.

“As long as Ellington has been doing (the parade), Vernon has participated,” said Call. “Ellington is a mutual aid partner and we've always tried to assist them with their parade.”

Mary Smith from Vernon has been coming to the fair for years with her family.

“It's my favorite one because it's not expensive,” Smith said. “There are a lot of choices, but tis one is affordable.”

But for Tori Johnston and her family, recent transplants from New York to Vernon, it was their first time at the carnival.

“It's actually quite nice here,” Johnston said. “We come from a small town – it's nice to come to a place that's very similar. It makes you feel more at home.”

Betsi Feldman, the EVFD carnival chairperson, appreciates that the weekend the carnival takes place is a highly competitive one, with fairs also taking place in South Windsor and Hebron.

“It's very well supported and attended and it's very much appreciated that we have the support of the townspeople,” Feldman said.

Local fire departments winning awards:

MAC Farrell Host Choice – Vernon (Chosen by the EVFD)
Best Appearing Company in Shirts – Broad Brook
Best Appearing Without Music – Vernon
Best Appearing: Rescue – Vernon
Best Appearing EMS Unit – Tolland
Best Appearing Antique: Motorized – South Windsor
Most Firefighters in Line – Vernon
Best Auxiliary – Tri-Town CERT
Unit Coming from the Longest Distance – Canaan