More than 50 fire companies, hundreds of firefighters and dozens of pieces of fire apparatus passed through the streets of Wallkill on Saturday for the Hudson Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association Parade.
It capped off a week of convention activities in the hamlet of Wallkill last week, including convention sessions at the brand-new firehouse, a spirit Mardi Gras parade on Friday, an impressive parade and trophy presentation on Saturday, and the installation of Wallkill’s Eric Orr as the new HVVFA.
It was a celebration more than two years in the making. Wallkill was originally scheduled to host the convention in 2020, but the Covid-19 pandemic put plans on ice for two years.
Among the special guests at the parade were a group of residents of the FASNY Firemen’s Home in Hudson, NY, operated by the Firefighters Association of the State of New York. A group of residents from the home made the trip to Wallkill and were seated on the lawn of the Wallkill Funeral Home, next to the reviewing stand.