HILTON, N.Y. — The Hilton Fire Department Carnival is back and ready to help entertain the community after the pandemic canceled last summer's carnival.
There are more than a dozen rides, free live music every night and, of course, plenty of food options, including steamed clams from the Walker Fire Department from Hamlin.
As an all-volunteer organization, the Hilton Fire Department has been hosting a fundraiser for more than a century. It started as a Field Day back in 1901. The fundraiser is now a four-day carnival for all ages.
Like a lot of firefighters, Andy Nichols comes from a family of volunteer firemen. He’s been with the Hilton Fire Department for five years.
"We are 100% volunteer,” Nichols said. “There is no pay, so in the middle of the night, we are getting out of bed and coming to help you out with emergency needs, whatever it may be. I believe this will be our 120th year that this carnival will be happening. We waited it out till the last second and the last day of the last hour to make it happen, and it was because the majority of the department wanted to have it happen this year.”
Admission to the carnival is free. It's a pay-one-price of $25 each day for all the rides.
Carnival hours are 6 to 11 p.m. Wednesday to Friday and Saturday noon to 11 p.m. The parade through the village of Hilton to the carnival is Thursday at 7 p.m.