Great weather and a great turnout was the order of the day, actually three days, for the Nesquehoning Hose Company's 15th Annual Labor Day 2009 Stay at Home Festival this past holiday weekend.

According to Fire Chief John McArdle, "it was a fabulous weekend". Along with the great weather, "we had a great turnout Friday, Saturday, and Sunday".The Stay at Home Festival, which was held at the Nesquehoning Fire Company Grove, is one of the fire company's major fund raisers for the year.Chief McArdle added that "we had a good run on the food" which their was a great variety of with something for everybody's taste.Among the many events and musical entertainment at the festival were games, rides, and a chinese auction. There were also fire truck rides for young and old alike.Sunday was the festival's longest day running from about noon to 11:00 pm. At 7:00 pm there was a fire truck parade with the judging done earlier in the day and prizes awarded about 9 or 9:30 pm.Sunday was also Kid's Day with a bicycle giveaway for some lucky boy and girl. The two bicycles were donated by the Masons and there was also fingerprinting and I.D. cards were made up.Fire Chief John McArdle noted that a lot of non-members volunteer and help the fire company out. Just a few among them being members of Meeds Church and also the Nesquehoning Boy Scouts who every day picked up the trash and cleaned up cigarette butts etc.He also stated that "months of planning went into the festival" and he expressed the fire company's appreciation for everybody's support of the event and the company.