Fun and Frolic at Freeport’s Fall Festival & Fire Expo

The chilly autumn afternoon didn’t deter hundreds of Freeporters from participating in the Family Fall Festival and Fire Expo that took place on the Nautical Mile on Sunday, Oct. 18. The festival was a joint effort, cosponsored by the Village of Freeport, the Freeport Chamber of Commerce and the Freeport Fire Department. “It was great to see Freeport’s children, parents and families in attendance,” Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy said.

“It looked like everyone had a lot of fun,” Victoria Dinielli, director of the Recreation Center said.

The young and the not-so young marched in the festival’s opening parade from Sea Breeze Park up the Nautical Mile. In addition to the costumed children, there was a police car, followed by Mayor Kennedy and trustees, village employees and local dignitaries, a marching pipe band and Freeporter Al Grover (celebrating the 30-year anniversary of the voyage he made across the Atlantic with son, Dante). The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts marched in the parade, followed by Al Grover’s Ford Model-T. There were trucks from Freeport Electric, the Salvation Army, Red Cross and SPLASH as well as the Freeport Auto Racing Stock Car, the Chamber’s Pirate Ship, Freeport Fire Department vehicles and the Freeport High School marching band and color guard. The parade ended with Santa … pulling a kayak. “Only in Freeport,” Dinelli said.

Children were offered sweet treats from the open trunks of cars decorated for Halloween. “It’s called trunk or treat,” Dinielli said, “or Tailgating Party, Halloween style!” The village provided the treats and gave out prizes for the scariest looking cars. First prize went to Scary Dinosaur, decorated by Brownie Scout Troops 2206 and 2219. The second prizewinner was Mike Bayer for his Skull & Bones Cemetery.

The Freeport Fire Department’s 27th Annual Fire Expo in the parking lot across from the Esplanade featured exhibits and games to teach children and families about fire safety. They distributed smoke detectors and reflectors.