East Northport Fireman’s Fair a resounding success
By Sofia Levorchick
The annual East Northport Fireman’s Fair brought many together during four days of festivities over the past week.
The fairgrounds, located within the East Northport Fire Department’s green and parking lot, were bustling with excitement as families, friends and individuals of all ages came together to enjoy the featured array of carnival rides, games and food options.
On Friday, Aug. 4, despite concerns of rain in the forecast, the fair had drawn a sizable crowd. Animated screams could be heard from the carnival rides as children and adults fostered an ambiance of pure joy.
Bruce Grant, coordinator of the fair and member of the East Northport Chamber of Commerce, mentioned that Friday had an impressive attendance, but the other days had seen even larger crowds, likely due to more favorable weather. The popular parade was held Wednesday evening, Aug. 2.
“Wednesday was really full, especially with the parade and all the local departments attending – even ones from Nassau,” Grant said.
Conducted for 80 years, the fair has remained a beloved East Northport tradition that enables firefighters across the Island to volunteer to make the event a success. Their duties included, but were not limited to, distributing and selling food, managing carnival games and overseeing raffles. Notably, the raffle on Saturday night had a grand prize of $5,000.
“We want to raise money to fund the fire department and also give to other charities,” Grant said of the event’s aims.
Attending these fun-filled festivities was free, though immersing oneself in the various thrills of the carnival required a $35 charge.
Among the attendees was a family partaking in the event for the first time with their toddler, who rode the carousel and happily, with a snow cone in hand, exclaimed that she had so much fun.
Grant suggested that the fair serves as a reminder of how a community can gather with fun and a spirit of celebration, all while working toward a shared goal — to support the fire department and give back to those in need.
“The fair is not for profit,” Grant added. “It’s to help the community and our members.”
