Riviera Beach Gears Up For Annual Carnival

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By Maya Pottiger

Step right up to the Riviera Beach Volunteer Fire Company’s annual carnival. This year, the carnival runs from June 24 through 29.

With the carnival, consistency is key.

“It’s been a generation thing,” said Gloria Lewis, who is on the board of directors for RBVFC and coordinates fundraisers. “It’s always been there. It’s part of the community.”

Attractions include carnival rides, raffles, a plant stand, kids games, face painting, spin art and more. This year’s money raffle has three available prizes: first place for $1,000, second place for $500 and third place for $250.

“We try to bring in a variety of rides. We have a pretty good-sized parking lot to put all that in there,” Lewis said. “When you look at the parking lot, it doesn’t look big, but when we start putting that in there, we do get quite a bit of rides in there.”

Come hungry to the carnival. The menu features pit ham, pit turkey and pit beef; hamburgers and hotdogs; the fire station’s “famous” funnel cakes; French fries; chicken tenders; crab cakes; pizza; and a children’s combo meal. Soda and bottled water will be available.

Advanced wristbands are on sale through Sunday, June 23. The advanced wristbands are $15, and they offer all-you-can-ride access Monday through Thursday. The wristbands are not valid on Friday and Saturday.  There will also be individual tickets for sale. Advanced wristbands are available at the firehouse. To schedule a time to pick up wristbands, call Lewis at 410-693-0020.

The carnival is open from 6:00pm to 10:00pm Monday through Thursday, and from 6:00pm to 11:00pm on Friday and Saturday.

“If there’s a good amount of a crowd out there and people are riding, then you paid for that wristband, and we try to stay open a little bit later,” Lewis said. “This year, it’ll be good for us because it’s in June and school’s out.”

On Saturday, there is a parade prior to the carnival opening. The parade lines up at 4:00pm and kicks off at 5:00pm. The route runs from Lauer’s Supermarket & Bakery on Fort Smallwood Road and goes past the firehouse toward Pine Grove Village Shopping Center. The parade features fire equipment, Boy Scouts, members of the station’s cadet program and antique firetrucks.

The annual carnival is a way for RBVFC to thank the community for its support.

“You’re giving to us, and we need to give back to you,” Lewis said. “That’s really what we’re all about is you guys help us out supporting us, helping us with donations, and then we turn around and want to give back to you and have a party.”

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