by Lisa Hinton-Valdrighi
Betty Ward Crandall, seven years old in 1935, still recalls the thrill of attending the very first Kilmarnock Volunteer Fire Department (KVFD) Firemen’s Festival. She was there again last week—playing Bingo, winning prizes and riding the Ferris wheel—at the 90th annual carnival.
“I loved the Ferris wheel, and oh my god, the swings. They were my favorites,” said Crandall, who has only missed attending a few of the festivals over the last 90 years. She’s 97, lives just a few miles from the KVFD Carnival Grounds, drives and still enjoys the charm of the annual event.
The carnival began in 1935 behind the Rexall Drug Store and Fairfax Theatre on Main Street. Even then, the grand prize was a vehicle. At the conclusion of the 90th festival Saturday, August 9, Kenneth Davis of White Stone won the 2025 grand prize—a 2024 Ford Ranger Lariat 4X4 pickup. Gunnar Healy won the second prize, a 2024 Denago Rover golf cart, and Jack Thomas won the third prize, a kayak package with fishing gear.
Crandall recalls that first carnival. “They had a gypsy and her husband doing fortune telling. It was really exciting….
