Tara Jeffrey
A longtime tradition returns this weekend in Corunna.
The annual Firefighters Field Days will be held June 9-10 at the Corunna Firehall, for the first time since 2019.
“Corunna has had a lot of growth in the past few years, so we’re looking forward to having some of these families experience field days for the first time,” said Mark Perrin, captain of the Corunna Fire Dept. and co-chair of the event, which includes daytime and evening activities and entertainment while showcasing fire safety.
Saturday events include a parade at 11 a.m., kids inflatables, Paw Patrol characters, demonstrations and more.
Evening activities include live music beginning at 7 p.m. both nights.
The layout of the evening events has been moved to the parking lot behind the firehall on Hill Street, following some changes required by St. Clair Township.
Last year’s event was canceled after concerns surfaced around serving alcohol inside an operating firehall, leaving little time for the Corunna station to relocate the event.
“We can confirm that there will be no public access in the firehall both Friday and Saturday nights,” Perrin wrote in a letter to the township. “All nightly activities will take place behind the firehall. All trucks will be ready for service inside the firehall.
The firehall designates responders for each night to be ready to respond if called upon, he added.
The event is the flagship fundraiser for the Corunna Volunteer Firefighters’ Association, which also donates proceeds back to the community through groups like Operation Christmas Tree, the Corunna Legion, Big Brothers-Big Sisters Sarnia-Lambton, local schools, community groups, “as well as supporting families in need when tragedy strikes.”
Most importantly, Perrin added, the event gives residents a glimpse into life as a volunteer firefighter.
“It’s literally your neighbours, people who live down the street from you, who are jumping into any emergency situation,” he said. “I think the more you know, the more you appreciate them.”
