More food, fireworks in store for Arnold No. 1's second annual food truck and fireworks extravaganza

An Arnold fire department’s food truck and fireworks “extravaganza” will formally become an annual event when it’s held for a second time this Saturday.

Arnold No. 1 will host the second annual event beginning at 4 p.m. at the 18th Street Ballfield.

Food will be served until the lights are shut off for fireworks when darkness falls, Assistant Fire Chief Brian Gouza said.

There is no admission charge for the event.

A fundraiser for the volunteer department, which has 20 to 25 active members, the first event last year was successful enough to bring it back, Gouza said.

Money raised goes toward equipment and bills.

“It was good,” he said of last year. “We made some money, and the community loved it. We’re hoping for the same this year.”

In coming up with a different fundraiser, part of the idea was to “spice up” a food truck rally with fireworks during a year when many displays were canceled because of the covid pandemic, Gouza said.

“The community really enjoyed it, especially with covid and everything,” he said. “People were able to start getting out and get the dust off. Not a lot of places had fireworks for the Fourth of July. That was a big appeal to people.”

Hopes for the festival’s continued success may be conservative, as this year’s event will include nearly a dozen food vendors — almost double the number there were last year — and Gouza said the fireworks display will be a bit longer.

Arnold No. 2 will be among the vendors. Firefighters from that department will be serving up their french fries, which were available during the Labor United Celebration at Northmoreland Park on Labor Day weekend.

One or two bands are expected to perform, too.

Gouza said the department’s biggest fundraiser each year is its Lenten fish fry. The food truck and fireworks event could grow big enough to match or even supplant it.

“Come out and have fun,” Gouza said.