Michael Hillman

(6/1) Whether you seek culture, community, or comfort food, these amazing festivals prove that small towns everywhere know how to throw big celebrations. With quirky traditions you wouldn’t find anywhere else, local culinary specialties, and parades down Main Street, community festivals bring out the best in small towns and make one-of-a-kind experiences for visitors.

For the past twelve years, our lead story in the May edition has always the announcement the year’s carnival season kicking off with the Mother Seton School Carnival, but this year, with the COVID-19 restrictions in place, annual carnivals are falling by the wayside.

Mother Seton School, whose carnival usually runs the third week of May, was the first to fall victim to the restriction limiting gatherings to 10 or less individuals. This is the first time in 38 years that the school-run carnival has been canceled

Within days of the cancellation of the carnival at Mother Seton School, came word that the Vigilant Hose Company’s ‘Spring Fling’, originally scheduled for May 16, was postponed until September 5 and rechristened the ‘Fall Bash.’

Unlike other communities where the Volunteer Fire Companies run the carnivals, in Emmitsburg it’s Mother Seton School. The Vigilant Hose Company had for years been known for putting on the best carnival in the county, but surrendered that mantel when they selflessly donated their carnival grounds – which were located behind the post office— to the Emmitsburg Little League to provide land for the kids in the town to play ball.

The Taneytown Volunteer Fire Company (VFC) held out as long as they could before pulling the plug on their Carnival this year, which usually takes place the second week of June. Like the Mother Seton School’s carnival, the Taneytown VFC’s carnival fell victim to the restrictions caused by the pandemic limiting the number of people who could gather. While the limit has increased to 50, the company realized that 50 people just didn’t make a carnival. "This is the first time in memory, that the carnival has been canceled" noted one member, who recalled going to it when he was a kid and it took place on the east side of town, opposite Crouse Ford.

The Harney VFC which, unlike other local carnivals, does not depend upon a outside ride provide, nevertheless opted to canceled their carnival for the same 50-person restriction on gatherings. Like Taneytown’s, which normally takes place the same week, the cancellation of Harney’s carnival is the first cancellation in the memory of its members. The carnival has roots dating back to the early 1900s when it was just a community picnic, and predates the building of the present fire company building back in 1958.

The Walkersville VFC carnival, which follows on the heels of Harney’s, holds the prize spot taking place over the 4th of July holidays. In the past, their 4th of July fireworks display were the must see event of the county, however the event was reluctantly canceled out of concern for the safety and health of their patrons as well as their volunteer workers.

The Thurmont and Rocky Ridge Fire Companies, whose events take place in mid-July and mid-August respectfully, have yet to decide on whether or not the carnivals will take place. Penny Stonesifer, of the Rocky Ridge Fire Company, summed up the predicament facing those trying to balance the risk/benefit equation: "I do know that if we can’t [put on the carnival], that will be a hard pill to swallow for our company, but as always we put the safety and wellbeing of our members and the community first. Our carnival does bring in large gatherings. I would assume that it would depend on how the Governor’s phases pan out and it may be too soon to tell at this point."

While the future of group size gathering restrictions weigh heavily on minds of members of the Thurmont VFC, they are also faced with the ability to line-up ride and food vendors who, up until now, have been locked down as ‘non-essential’ services. Rocky Ridge on the other hand, which has been running their no-frills family friendly carnival since 1957, stands the best chance of pulling off their carnival since, like Harney, they don’t rely upon outside food vendors or ride providers. After all, who needs a mechanical rides when you are home to the word famous ‘Big Slide’.

The Great South Mountain Fair, which has always closed out the fair season, is canceled this year, much to the disappointment of the many 4-H’ers who use the fair to show off their prize cows, sheep, chickens, goats, and pigs, not to mention the collection of artisans, gardeners and farmers who dream of that blue ribbon for the best needlepoint, flower display, or sweetest apple.

This would have been the fair’s 98th year, having only canceled twice in all that time; the first was during the polio epidemic of 1941. It was assumed the fair would resume the next year, but World War II intervened and it was not until 1948 that the exposition was able to continue.

Last, but not least, as we got to press, the Emmitsburg-Thurmont Community Show, the principle venue for local 4-H’ers to show off their skills, currently scheduled for September, is still on.

The cancellations have hit all sponsoring organizations. While the carnivals have always been a great way to bring together the community, they also serve as critical fundraisers opportunities. These organizations will use the proceeds to continue their work throughout the community. In fact, volunteer fire companies around the country are heavily dependent on fundraising as a means to supplement the often surprisingly low return on donation solicitation campaigns. In conjunction with the ever-popular bingos, raffles, wing and shrimp feeds held throughout the entire year, the most heavily attended and generally most successful fire company-sponsored events are the ‘firemen’s carnivals.’

Events like firemen’s carnivals provide an important portion of the sponsoring for the fire department’s annual budget. The proceeds from the carnivals ultimately go right back into the community through the services given by the companies.

Len Bowers of the Harney Fire Company, said their carnival is the largest fundraiser of the year and that the proceeds are used to buy needed equipment for the fire department. Bowers noted that this year’s cancelation could not have come at a worst time, as the company will be accepting a new engine – with a $745,000 price tag—in June. Len groaned when he thought of the money that the company would have made form this year’s carnival; money that would have been put towards payment of the new engine.

According to Vaughn Zimmerman of the Walkersville Volunteer Fire Company, the profits from their Carnival also are used to purchase apparatuses and equipment. "It now takes about six carnivals to buy a new fire engine pumper. This saves Frederick County from purchasing apparatus for us, saving the taxpayers money," said Zimmerman.

Local fire companies also benefit from the sense of community that is cultivated while working toward the same goal, which is providing funding for equipment to ensure that the volunteer firefighters can respond safely and adequately to emergency situations. Many of our local fire companies can attest to the sense of togetherness seen among volunteers and community members while organizing these events. Each year, the volunteers look forward to the challenges of putting on a carnival and are willing to donate their talents and efforts to make it a successful event.

But to rural localities, firemen’s carnivals do more than just raise funds; they serve as a social gathering place for community members of all ages. According to Jerry Free of the Rocky Ridge Fire Company, firemen’s carnivals: "bring people from all over together for a time of fellowship, in an old-fashioned way." It is an opportunity to remind people why rural life is so much better than life in the city.