GRAFTON, Vt. – Like many other fall events this year, the popular Grafton Firefighters Fall Festival Tag Sale has been canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This would have been the 40th year for the tag sale. However, in order to keep the tradition alive the Grafton Fire and Rescue Auxiliary has created a new event. A raffle will be held Oct. 10, which is the date originally planned for the tag sale. In addition to the raffle, a to-go hot dog lunch by donation will be available from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. as well as a coin drop and a last chance to buy raffle tickets before the drawing at 3 p.m. This scaled down fall festival will take place at the Firehouse, 711 Route 121, just east of Grafton Village. Winners need not be present and the now familiar Covid-19 safety precautions will be observed to keep everyone safe.
The cancellation of the tag sale this year will be felt by locals and visitors alike but also by the firefighters who will experience a 20% loss to their budget as a consequence. While the raffle won’t yield the excitement of hundreds of shoppers scouring through the wide array of goods, it will help to keep alive the spirit of the event and make a contribution to overcoming the budget loss.
Items being raffled off feature a complete Husquavarna 525LK package valued at $2,500 with weedwacker, leaf blower, power paddle, power broom, pruner, brush cutter, and rototiller – even a shirt, hat, and fuel are included. Other raffle items are two one-night bed and breakfast stays at the well-known Grafton Inn, a Vermont Country Store gift basket, a fresh baked cookie each day for 60 days from the MKT Grafton Village Store, a gift basket from the Grafton Village Cheese Company, and a gift basket of colonial reproduction toys made by the Cooperman Fife and Drum Company. Raffle tickets are available at the Grafton Garage, MKT Village Store, from Grafton Firefighters, from Amber at 802-376-5646, and Oct. 10 at the Grafton Firehouse from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
The Grafton Fire and Rescue Auxiliary and the Grafton Fire Department are counting on the goodwill and support of the public in helping them during this troubled time to keep the spirit of the Fall Festival alive and bring some budget relief until next year when the 40th Firefighters Tag Sale will take place in person.