Community Corner

Ring The Bell! Ride A Fire Truck At Goshen Fireman's Days

Goshen Fire Department's annual event has been a family tradition in Waterford for 85 years.




Let the games begin! The 85th Annual Goshen Fire Department's Fireman's Days are a family tradition in Waterford. People come for the games of chance, for the hotdogs and hamburgers, the clam chowder, and for the ham and bean supper on Saturday. But most of all they come to ride the fire trucks.

The 1938 Buffalo truck is everyone's favorite. It has been at the Goshen Fire Department since that date, although it's only pressed into service for rides and parades these days. This year, a second truck will also be running to try to keep the lines a bit shorter. 

There are additional games this year, plus face painting, and a chance to dunk someone you love in a tank. Boy Scout troop 29 is selling popcorn, the Ladies Auxiliary is holding a white elephant sale, and the "get the coin in the glass" game is back if you want to try to collect a whole set of glassware.

Don "Chappy" Chapman Sr. and his able assistant Greg VanOverloop have been making clam chowder since early this morning. It takes three bushels of clams, six pounds of potatoes, five pounds of salt pork and seven and a half pounds of onions—and a lot of tender loving care—to make the 30 gallon barrel full of chowder.

The event runs Friday until 11 p.m., with the last fire truck rides leaving at around 10:30 p.m. On Saturday, there will also be a bike parade. The start time is relaxed, I'm told either 10 a.m. or 11 a.m., but if you get there at 10 a.m. you'll probably be in time to participate. The ham and bean supper will be at 5:30 p.m. Saturday and the event runs until 11 p.m.  


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