On Saturday, May 7th, 2011 from 10 a.m-2 p.m., the Fire Museum of Maryland will host its 34rd Annual Steam Show. The Show features Dalmatians and draft horses, demonstrations of late-1800s horse-drawn fire apparatus, and rides in an 1899 hose wagon.
Join us for a day full of fun as 65-foot water towers shoot water up to 600 feet! The Steam Show will feature steam engine demonstrations, horse drawn fire equipment and carriages as well as contests for the kids. A 1989 water tower will flow water, and antique engines and vehicles will fill the parking lot. Children and adults can run under the cascades of water, learn about the history of the fire service and see how fire engines operated in the late 1800s. Come inside the Museum and see 40 antique fire engines, walk through the new 1871 Fire House Exhibit and hear the Baltimore City Alarm Office tap out fire emergency calls.
The Museum itself will also be open from 10-4 pm. Audio tours of the Museum are available free of charge. There are plenty of fun activities for kids to do in the Children’s Discovery Room. Children can put on turn out gear and climb on a 1938 Mack Fire Engine. In addition, there are games, fire related toys and activities geared especially for preschool and elementary school-age children. Weekdays during the summer, the FMM offers story time, movie time and crafts, as well as a special noon tour with Firefighter Tom Colleran, retired, Baltimore City (MD) Fire Department.
The Rolls-Royce of Fire Engines
Experience the beauty and mechanical genius of the Ahrens-Fox, the “Rolls-Royce of Fire Engines.” See these magnificent antique fire engines during the Ahrens-Fox Day at the Fire Museum of Maryland, May 21st, 2011, 10am-3pm. Join in the celebration of its innovative design, making it one of firefighting’s most unique engines. All are welcome to enjoy the parade through Lutherville and Towson and the day-long festivities.
The display of up to 30 engines is provided by collectors from all over the country and will take place from 10-3 pm with a parade through Towson and Lutherville at 12 pm. The Fire Museum of Maryland will be open to the public, 10-4 pm and food vendors will be on site. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for firefighters and seniors, $5 for children ages 2 to 18, and children 2 and under are free. Tickets are available for advance purchase only.
The Ahrens-Fox Company has a long tradition in manufacturing quality fire fighting apparatuses, particularly the Ahrens-Fox engine with its distinctive, front-mounted piston pump. Both earned a reputation for efficiency and durability. The Ahrens-Fox Steam Engine caused a surge in popularity within fire departments in the mid-nineteenth century, which has carried over into the motorized era. More than one hundred and fifty years later, these rare engines are highly sought after– a true testament to the quality of the Ahrens-Fox fire engine.
For more information, please visit www.firemuseummd.org or contact Rob Williams at rcwilliams@firemuseummd.org. Rob can be reached at 410-321-7500, Tuesday through Friday.
