The Atlantic Highlands Fireman’s Fair
With the annual Atlantic Highlands Fireman’s Fair set for five nights of fun and entertainment in two week, it’s time to look back to July 24, 1941 when the Fire Department set a record for the most successful Fireman’s Fair ever at its first annual event.
Irving Bader of Brooklyn was a salesman who happened to be in Naylor’s Auto when Billy Bowne was selling chances on a new car that was going to go to some lucky winner the night of the Fireman’s Fair. Bader bought a ticket from Bowne, who worked at Naylor’s and later went home from the fair with a 1941 Plymouth sedan, plus 100 gallons of gas as well as 1941 license plates for his lucky vehicle.
Dominick Caruso was chairman of the car raffle and announced the big event profited the fire department by $1,040.
During the three days of Fireman’s Fair festivities, Mary Costanza won a blanket and Mrs. Edward Layton a bed spread in other contest giveaways.
The African Dip was the biggest attraction of the many at the Fireman’s Fair, and for a small fee, anyone got the chance to throw a baseball, with successful throws landing two black men into the water tanks.
On Firemen’s Night at the event, the Navesink Fire company took away the trophy, with Sea Bright coming in second and Fair Haven third.
Ice cream sales for the event also earned another $32.75 for the volunteer fire department.
The fire companies had their own contest throughout the Fireman’s Fair. The company that sold the least tickets had to purchase sandwiches for the other two companies, while the company that sold second less tickets had to provide the drinks. Company 1 took the honors, with Hook and Ladder providing the sandwiches and Mantell the drinks for the event.
