The carnival has been a tradition since it started on the Town Green in 1928. The raffle was part of the program from the beginning when the grand prize was a car. Other prizes over the years have included a gallon of paint, $5 worth of gas, a ton of coal and a toilet seat. The prizes are more exciting this year.

That first year, the carnival made about $3,000 and covered most of the department’s budget. Today, equipment is larger, more expensive and more complex. Training is a non-stop exercise undertaken by the firefighters.