A tradition started in Victoria will be coming to Grand Forks, as the city will be celebrating Firebells and Fanfare July 30 through Aug 1.

The city’s fire department has been around 113 years and as part of the event, classic pieces of fire-fighting equipment from Grand Forks will be on display.

Grand Forks Fire Chief Blair MacGregor says that people with antique fire apparatuses from paid and volunteer fire departments to pieces from private owners from throughout the Pacific Northwest will also be available for viewing.

“We’re going to have antique fire apparatuses from 1860 right up to 2010 and some of it will be hand-pulled, there’ll be a few pieces pulled by horses,” he said.

While it will be the first time Firebells and Fanfare will be in Grand Forks, it certainly isn’t the first time it has been celebrated.

In 1998, the Victoria Fire Department Historical Society restored an 1899 Steam Pumper and seeing as the steam pumper’s 100th birthday was approaching, they thought a celebration was in order.

The Waterous steam pumper was built in Brantford, Ontario in May of 1899 and was subsequently delivered to, what is now, British Columbia’s capital and in the summer of 1999, the milestone was celebrated in front of the Parliament Building with a parade, complete with marching band, and pieces of fire-fighting equipment new and old.

Since then, a Firebells and Fanfare weekend has happened annually in areas all over, including Vancouver, Wash., Boise, Idaho, Kelowna and Friday Harbor, Wash.

The Firebells and Fanfare parade will start at 11 a.m. on July 31 and the antique pieces of equipment will be on display from noon to 4 p.m. on Market Ave.

Equipment will also be on display Aug. 1 at City Park between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

A 24-hour Ladder-thon will be held on Market Ave. starting at 3 p.m. on July 30.

“I recognize the importance of keeping our volunteers active and involved in our community,” Chief MacGregor said.

“One of the ways is to preserve the rich history of the fire service in Grand Forks.”