Orange Live

Nighttime fun at the Orange Firemen’s Carnival

The Orange Volunteer Fire Department has been working on the 2012 carnival since the day after the 2011 carnival ended.

It takes a lot of planning to keep such a big operation rolling every year, keeping the public interested in coming and finding volunteer non-firefighters  willing to help in the food tent and pitch in at various games around the fairgrounds.

Denise Mirto sent a shout-out for food tent volunteers a couple of months ago and has been successful, but I’m sure she can still use a few extra hands on Saturday or Sunday.

When you first arrive, you will be greeted by Woodbridge Volunteer Firefighters, who are assisting in the parking areas making sure everything is nice and orderly out there.

Under the Raffle Tent you will find many familiar faces, selectmen, various committee and board members and residents who come back year after year and donate their time to the fire department, just as the firefighters donate their time to the town every hour of every day.

At Wednesday’s Board of Selectmen’s meeting First Selectman Jim Zeoli called the Carnival the “cheapest fire insurance that an Orange Resident can have.”

“If every household spent a couple hundred bucks at the carnival, it is the cheapest insurance they can have for fire service,” Zeoli said. “If we had a paid Fire Department it would cost us millions of dollars every year.”

There are many rides, games, and food options at the carnival, and everyone has their favorite, but did you know that the Fire Department only benefits from the proceeds at the games and food that they run?

The games are the Frog Bog, Dunk Tank, High Striker, Speedball and Blower ball – the little game of chance next to the raffle tent. The 50/50 raffle benefits both the civilian winner and the fire department, who split the pot a couple of times a day.

Of course, you can’t beat $5 for a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of 13 great prizes, including trips, an iPad, gift certificate to the American Diamond Exchange and a generator – just in time for hurricane season.

The main food tent (under the pavilion) and the satellite food tent straight up the aisle next to the fence on Orange Center Road also are Fire Department run.

The one big change that you may notice is that the High Striker game has a new host. Long time chairman, Joe Oleschuk busted his elbow this year but he’s still working the game.

Schedule

Saturday, Aug. 4
Open 12 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Saturday Matinee Ride bracelets are good from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday Evening Ride Bracelets are good from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m.
(Pick up your bracelets at the rear of the main Raffle Tent – photo ID and signature are required at pick up)
At carnival ride special is $22 for unlimited rides for the matinee ONLY.
Individual ride tickets are available at the ticket booth.
A free raffle for children during the matinee – Children 12 years and younger can register at the main raffle booth to win free prizes.
Fireworks at 10:45 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 5
Open 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Ride bracelets are good from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Pick up your bracelets at the rear of the main Raffle Tent – photo ID and signature are required at pick up)
Individual ride tickets are available at the ticket booth.
Raffle drawing at 4:30 p.m. at the Orange Fairgrounds.

The weather is supposed to be great all weekend so, come on down and support your Volunteer Fire Department.

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