Spring Mill Fire Company Carnival

Spring Mill Fire Company Carnival

9/12/2023

by Brian Coll

When I saw that the Spring Mill Fire Company was hosting a carnival for the first time in years the 12 year old boy in me got really excited.

It seemed in the 80’s these types of events happened all the time. The B Field hosted some carnivals over the years. There was even one held at 7th and Fayette, former home to Conshohocken High School before the current home of Santander Bank was built. I’m sure the organizers didn’t care they were taking over my neighborhood “sandlot” as they put on a carnival. The Saint Cosmas and Damian yearly event was always fun. However the granddaddy of all the carnivals was the Spring Mill Fire Company carnival. In all fairness, the other carnivals were great. The Saint Cosmas Feast is certainly missed year in and year out. It just seemed as my friends and I got older and we could travel a bit to the one at Spring Mill we had a little more freedom. For instance, if you won a bagged goldfish at Saint Cosmas the person working the booth would give you tips on how to keep it alive, make sure you get it in a bowl when you get home. At Spring Mill the dude who drove an El Camino to the fairgrounds handed you the goldfish and wasn’t sure if you were taking it to the river to use as bait. I seem to remember winning a few posters of pin up girls from the 80’s. Wasn’t there a skill game where you got to shoot 100 bb’s at a sheet of paper with a little star on it, if you shot all the star off the paper you won. I always felt like I needed about two more bb’s to win that game.

As I’m thinking about the old carnival, I’m also looking forward to walking though with my kids, hoping they have the same glitter in their eye as I did years ago. Is there going to be a ride that spins you so fast you get off it feeling dizzy, looking for a place to….well I don’t want to go all into the pie scene in Stand By Me, but if you know, you know. Is there going to be a Ferris wheel that lets you see all along Barren Hill Road, or maybe all the way to the Matsonford Bridge.

It’s very cool that the folks at Spring Mill Fire Company are bringing back this tradition to help celebrate their 100th anniversary. We want to wish them the best of luck with the event and if you go, thank a firemen or firewoman.