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Turbotville Carnival To End

TURBOTVILLE—The carnival in Turbotville is a popular spot every June. Volunteers with the Warrior Run Area Fire Department put together the big event, whi...

TURBOTVILLE---The carnival in Turbotville is a popular spot every June.

Volunteers with the Warrior Run Area Fire Department put together the big event, which lasts Monday through Saturday in the borough.

The carnival then moves the following week to nearby Watsontown for another six days.

There has been a fire department carnival in Turbotville since the 1930s. The Watsontown carnival will continue, but the Turbotville event is coming to an end after this year

"I've been coming to the carnival…for over 50 years. I came as a child, we brought our kids, our grandkids and now we're kind of all together as a team, and just to know that it's not going to be here next year is just, it's heartwrenching," said Judy Hawley of the department.

Last week, members of the department made the final decision to end the Turbotville carnival. They said there are several reasons. The biggest one is putting an end to all the stress.

"Last evening we were ready to open up and 20 minutes after we opened we ended up going to a fire, all which really put a strain on the people we left behind here. It's tough, it really is," said Assistant Fire Chief Jay Yoder.

Wayne Hawley is a member of the department who works at the carnival. He was paralyzed from the waist down while fighting a blaze in 2007 when a beam from a barn fell on him. He said ending the carnival in Turbotville is bittersweet, but it is the right decision.

"We're trying to do what we do first which is trying to protect life and property. You know when you spend all this time doing all this and all that it makes it kind of hard to do," said Hawley.

Each year thousands of people attend the carnival, and the news that it is ending was emotional also for them.

Jeff Miller has been coming for the sausage sandwiches for the last 20 years or so.

"I know the reasons why they're doing it and I guess it makes sense, but I just hope that goes with it," he laughed.

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