Maryville Firemen’s Picnic battles Mother Nature
Damp park grounds and muggy weather didn’t stop the kids and families from taking advantage of the carnival ride matinee on Saturday at the Maryville Fireman’s Homecoming. The rides were set up around the fire house, so much of the area was streets and sidewalks that offered the big crowd a break from the wet grounds. (Kathy Turner photo)
By Kathy Turner • Mother Nature was in no mood to cooperate last weekend as the Maryville Firemen hosted their annual homecoming.
On Friday night, the skies opened with a deluge of rain that not only shut down the festivities but also put a damper on Saturday.
Saturday morning, the firemen were out bright and early setting up tents that hadn’t handled the wind and rain well. They also spread a great deal of straw and roped off a majority of the park in hopes of getting things dried up for Saturday evening’s parade and what they hoped was a second day crowd.
Meanwhile, children and families came out in large numbers for the matinee carnival rides. The Heaton Brothers provided the music in the background. And, food and drinks were available for anyone interested. And the kids just didn’t seem to mind the wet grounds, many wearing boots to fight off the mud.
Though the festivities might have been shortened in duration, the fun was in abundance for the major fundraiser of the year for the fire department. And, they were able to make last-minute arrangements for parking at the school to make up for soggy parking areas by providing a shuttle to the park for anyone interested.
As the kids enjoyed the Saturday matinee the rest of the crowd listened to the music of The Heaton Brothers. Notice that much of the park was cordoned off during the afternoon to allow the straw and sun to dry up the grounds for the Saturday evening events. (Kathy Turner photo)
Muggy temperatures and wet grounds doesn’t mean a lack of interest in food and drink as the lines at the concession stand indicate. (Kathy Turner photo)
