FireFest 2015 launch, May 14, 2015. (Photo by Mike James)FireFest 2015 launch, May 14, 2015. (Photo by Mike James)
Chatham

FireFest Expecting Growth

Organizers expect attendance numbers to continue an upward trend for the 4th annual FireFest Chatham-Kent.

That's despite the fact last year's Combat Challenge isn't happening this year.

"We figure we had about 6,000 people downtown for our first year. And we had between 12 and 15 (thousand) last year," says Event Co-Chair Brent DeNure, who's expecting 18,000 this year if the weather co-operates. "So we're getting recognized as a destination event. We got a reputation for being the biggest and arguably the best at what we do in Canada."

The event goes the weekend of September 18 and 19 in downtown Chatham. Some of the features announced today include a Junior Fire Competition and a Rope Truck Pull.

Denure says last year's event featured about 70 fire trucks and expects about 100 trucks this year.

FireFest 2015 launch, May 14, 2015. (Photo by Mike James)FireFest 2015 launch, May 14, 2015. (Photo by Mike James)

FireFest 2015 launch, May 14, 2015. (Photo by Mike James)FireFest 2015 launch, May 14, 2015. (Photo by Mike James)

FireFest 2015 launch, May 14, 2015. (Photo by Mike James)FireFest 2015 launch, May 14, 2015. (Photo by Mike James)

FireFest 2015 launch, May 14, 2015. (Photo by Mike James)FireFest 2015 launch, May 14, 2015. (Photo by Mike James)

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