Ellington Firemen's Carnival And Parade Postponed Until 2026

ELLINGTON, CT — The Ellington Firemen's Carnival and Parade, a yearly staple going back to the mid-1903s, will not conducted this year "due to circumstances beyond our control," fire officials said.

In a social media post, the Ellington Volunteer Fire Department, which has run the festivities nearly every year since 1934, explained the reasons behind cancellation of the event this September.

"Sadly, we lost our ride vendor and have been unable to find a replacement in time. Events like our carnival require significant planning with certain key elements like the ride vendor being confirmed and contracts in place well in advance.

"We are disappointed that our organization will not be able to provide the community with this time-honored tradition that we have been running almost continuously since 1934.

"We do, however, plan to bring the carnival back in 2026 with a yet-to-be named-ride vendor. At this point, we are unsure if a change in our usual dates (the weekend following Labor Day) may be necessary."

A yearly tradition, the raffling of a vehicle, will continue as scheduled, with winners to be drawn on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 10 p.m. Tickets are available from any Ellington firefighter.

Anyone wishing to make a donation can send it to EVFD, P.O. Box 911, Ellington, CT 06029 attn: 2025 Fundraiser.