This photograph of a Ferris wheel in motion comes from The East Hampton Star’s archive, one of six photos taken by Paula Peterson and used in a July 21, 1988, layout showcasing a variety of people enjoying the North Sea Fire Department Carnival. A news correspondent for Springs, Ms. Peterson frequently captured images for the paper.
The all-volunteer North Sea Fire Department was founded in 1934. The summer carnival has received newspaper coverage going back to at least July of 1936, when it was held along North Sea Road. In 1945 or 1946, the carnival became an annual fund-raiser for the Fire Department, according to The Southampton Press.
Early on, the carnival was held on the Southampton Elks Club grounds on Montauk Highway, but after it became more established it was moved closer to home. Since 1975, the carnival has taken place in what is now known as the North Sea Fire Department Memorial Athletic Field, across from the Fire Department’s 149 Noyac Road headquarters.
Over the years, the mechanized rides and games of skill and chance have played a prominent role in the carnival. A family could expect kid-friendly refreshments like soda, hot dogs, and popcorn, and the 1979 carnival even had pony-driven cart rides for children. As its date shifted earlier in the summer, the carnival added a fireworks display, which newspaper coverage indicates goes back to at least 1966.
The North Sea Fire Department continues to host the carnival the week before the Fourth of July; this year it ran from June 30 to July 4.
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Christina Pellegrino is a librarian and archivist in the Long Island Collection.
