Retro Fair Haven Gals and a Fair Prize Boat — Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect

The Fair Haven Fire Department girls showing the fair grand prize boat
Photos/FHFD, courtesy of Ray Bennett

A reprise in honor of the Fair Haven Firemen’s Fair coming back to town after a COVID-19 pandemic unheard-of hiatus last year. There used to be a prize boat at one time. Then there was a car. Now there’s the Super 50/50; and, in another altered tradition, tickets are on sale now, in advance of the fair’s comeback in a couple of weeks.

Summer heat’s on and the fair in all of it’s area coolness is coming back. What a prize! Right?

Speaking of prizes, we take you back to this reprise sequel of those firehouse girls-on-the-boat photos for a tidbit about fair winnings and reminder that the grand prize of all prizes, the Fair Haven Firemen’s Fair is on its way back.

The real story of this epic photo shoot back in the early 60s — according to some longtime fire company members, such as Ray Bennett, who had these few more photos — is that the boat was a prize for the fair. Who knew?

Well, now we all know. Fair grand prizes have varied over the years, culminating in the most recent Super 50/50 — a big, fat cash prize sought by so many that it IS a big, fat cash prize usually in the tens of thousands of dollars.

But, it wasn’t always the grand puba of fair prizes. Before that, the raffled car was the prize on which all fair loyalists feasted their eyes and fondest wishes.

The boat? Well, we don’t really know how long this grand prize was the grandest of all or if it only lasted one fair. But, one thing’s for sure: the fair organizers made a big show of the boat with those Fair Haven bathing beauties aboard to promote the raffle.

There are lots of gals striking 60s model poses in these pics. Know these show boating Fair Haven Fire Department models from the early 60s? For just how many fairs was a boat a grand prize? Just one? Which car was the best? Were there any other fair grand prizes?

Don’t forget to CLICK on one of the photos in the gallery to enlarge and scroll!

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