Garner Fire-Rescue and Town Announce 2026 Firefighters Festival and Downtown Parade
Garner Fire-Rescue and the Town of Garner announced official scheduling and opened public parade and vendor registrations for the 2026 Garner Firefighters Festival, scheduled for Saturday, October 3, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Centered around historic Fire Station #1 at 503 W. Main Street, the long-standing annual festival celebrates the dedication of local firefighters and emergency personnel while serving as one of the town’s most cherished autumn traditions.
A centerpiece of the festival is the traditional community parade kicking off at 2:00 p.m. along Main Street, traveling west from New Rand Road to St. Mary’s Street, featuring vintage and modern fire apparatus, local civic organizations, school marching groups, and public safety vehicles. Throughout the day, attendees can participate in hands-on fire safety demonstrations, vehicle rescue simulations, children's bucket-brigade challenges, and equipment tours, alongside a bustling street fair of regional craft artisans and food vendors.
The festival provides an invaluable public platform for Garner Fire-Rescue—recently re-accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International—to deliver critical home fire prevention education and recruit volunteer personnel. Municipal organizers have arranged free downtown parking and complimentary shuttle service from First Baptist Church of Garner along Benson Road to accommodate thousands of expected visitors, highlighting the close-knit partnership between town emergency services and Garner residents.
