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An undated photo of 183 E. Main St. from the Webster Museum website

If you ask 100 long-time Webster residents about their memories of the Firemen’s Carnival, you’d get 100 different stories. People talk about spending hours at the carnival as a teenager, or being there as a young child, then returning years later with their own children.

I’ve heard a lot of stories this week. I’d like to pass along one of them today.

It’s about Jeannette Chambers, who currently lives with her daughter Paige at 183 East Main Street in the Village of Webster, at the corner of Curtis Park. You probably know the house; it’s one of the most stately and beautiful homes on East Main, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places It was built in the mid-1900’s by William C. Jayne, a prominent banker at the time. Inside it features five bedrooms, a maid’s quarters, stained glass windows, a huge living room, sitting room, library, attic, and seven porches.  (Click here to read more about the home’s history on the Webster Museum website.)

Jeannette Chambers (right) and her sister Joyce on the porch of their childhood home.

Jeannette has been living in the house since 1969, the year her parents Granville and Silvia Chambers purchased the property. Its location right on Main Street made it the perfect viewing spot for the annual Carnival parade.

Each year for the last 50 years, she and her siblings did just that. The house has a spacious porch, but that was too far away from the action — even though, Jeannette said, “every year my mom would have me sweep and mop the porch, but we always sat out there.”  They would perch in the grassy area in front of their childhood home, watching the fire trucks, Scout troops, clowns and wagons stream by.

Thursday was the last time she’ll be able to do that.

Jeannette has had to sell the grand old house, where she grew up and raised her children. But that didn’t stop her from having one more parade-side celebration on Thursday. She invited several friends to mark the 50th-and-last viewing year with snacks, drinks, fresh-grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, and socializing.

As an adult, Jeannette clearly loves the event as much as she did as a child.

“I love that the town still gets so excited about it,” she said. “They’re out there two days ahead putting out chairs.”

She also clearly enjoyed hosting friends old and new for her small party. It was not something she’d ever done before, but explained, “after 50 years of watching the parade we had to celebrate it differently.”

When the parade comes back to town next year, chances are — for the first time in 50 years — Jeannette Chambers won’t be watching it from the lawn of her stately old home. But keep an eye out for her, because she’ll definitely be sitting somewhere.

Old habits die hard.

Jeannette and Joyce with friends and family who came to celebrate 50 years of parade-watching on Thursday night

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Twitter and Instagram

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This awesome aerial photo of the Firemen’s Carnival is courtesy the Webster Volunteer FD Facebook page.

This coming week is one of my favorites of the entire Webster year, because this it’s CARNIVAL WEEK!

The 2019 Webster Firemen’s Carnival will open up shop this coming Wednesday night at 6 p.m., then run Thursday and Friday night from 6 to “close” (not sure when this is, but I know the entertainment ends at 11), and then all day Saturday from noon to midnight.

For details about every day’s activities, visit the Carnival’s Facebook page or web page. But here are some highlights:

• Wednesday July 10 is Craft Beer night featuring wine and lots of local breweries. Entertainment by Claudia Hoyser from 7 to 10 p.m., rides, games, food and drink all night.
• Thursday July 11, the HUGE Firemen’s Parade kicks off at 6:30 p.m. from Phillips and Main, and travels west down Main through the village to Firemen’s Field. This is a don’t-miss event, especially for kids. Lots of fire trucks, candy and clowns.
• Friday July 12, entertainment in the beer tent is provided by Stateline from 8 to 11 p.m.
• Saturday July 13, the Kiddie Parade starts at Spry Middle School at noon. Registration begins at 11 a.m. Even if your family is not participating, this is a great parade to watch, and there’s lots of candy thrown (sometimes at high velocity. You might want to consider a helmet). At the festival proper, there are bike and grill raffles at 4:30 p.m. for kids 16 and under, and live entertainment is provided by Knight Patrol. The festival concludes with a huge fireworks display at midnight.

Pre-sale ride tickets for every night are available for a discounted price, so check out one of the websites for more information about that.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Twitter and Instagram

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

Thank you to the Webster Public  Library and the Friends for saving me on this it’s-way-too-hot-to-garden day!

The original start date of July 8 for the 104-to-590 flyover ramp construction has been pushed back, per information received from the Laurelton Fire Department. Work will now not begin until July 11.

Bad news is… it might last longer than expected.