KENT—Annual firemen’s balls were once the highlight of the social season in the rural towns of Northwest Connecticut, an occasion to pull out your finest duds and head out for an evening of dancing and dining while supporting local firefighters.
Many of those balls no longer happen in area towns, but the Kent Volunteer Fire Department rolled out the red carpet for townspeople one more time last weekend with a festive evening Saturday, June 8, that included all the traditional elements. The gala event, themed At a Moment’s Notice, honored the unwavering commitment of local volunteer firefighters and EMS responders and was held at the KVFD Fire House, 28 Maple St.
The KVFD, chartered by the Connecticut General Assembly in August 1911, must have been one of the first fire departments to hold such a ball, inaugurating its annual event in 1914 during the stiffly formal Edwardian Era (setting the tone for expected attire, the fire department voted to fine any member of the company 50 cents if he did not attend in his red dress uniform).
One hundred and ten years later, in 2024, the ball is still going strong—albeit in a more casual way. There was a wide variety of dress to be seen on the floor, from a goodly smattering of jeans to the occasional floor-length gown. Live music was belted out by the five-piece band, Those Guys, while firefighters worked hard behind the scenes—in t-shirts, not red shirts—to prepare a sumptuous meal for their guests.
When it came time to serve the buffet meal, however, those firefighters behind chafing dishes filled with roast beef, chicken croquettes and stuffed pasta shells, were all nattily attired in crisp formal uniforms.
The banquet, which had started with an endless supply of succulent shrimp, a charcuterie board and other tidbits, ended with an ice cream sundae bar with all the toppings.
Throughout the evening, guests could bid on silent auction items as diverse as an emerald and ruby gold necklace, an OHHO wellness gift basket, a Pashima throw or even an al fresco dinner “under the Tuscan sun” at the Grey Barn.
After dinner, tradition again held sway as the firefighters formed for their Grand March. Echoing the evening’s theme, Kent artist and auxiliary member Leslie Levy presented her painting “At a Moment’s Notice” to the KFVD members. The painting, executed in pastels, depicts an EMS coat, draped ready for immediate use over a straight-back chair, along with firefighter’s gear. Done 20 years ago, the painting was then sold as prints to help raise funds for the company. Now, the original has found a permanent home at the firehouse.
