Over 500 residents and out-of-town visitors attended the annual Victoria Day long weekend fireworks show at Princeton Park in the Township of Blandford-Blenheim on Saturday, May 16, 2026.
Hosted by the Princeton Fire Department, Princeton Fire Auxiliary and Friends of Princeton Park, the event featured a variety of family-friendly activities for guests of all ages.
“We have different first responder departments here like Oxford EMS and OPP with some of their vehicles as well ours, and the Township of Blandford-Blenheim also brought some equipment to give kids the opportunity to see everything up close and personal,” said Bob Cadwell, District Fire Chief for Princeton Station #81. “We also have face painters up at the pavilions, we have Jungle Jamz here with some reptiles, we have a balloon artist and bouncy castles, cotton candy, popcorn, ice cream and coffee trucks, as well as a bit of a barbeque too, so lots of good stuff for all the families.”
Cadwell said the event has been running for over a decade now and that it’s always nice to see people having a good time.
“It’s really good to see everyone out and using this park because it’s a great facility,” he said. “The response from the residents and the surrounding communities has been great, and it’s nice to see everyone enjoying the event.”
Cadwell said the event wouldn’t be possible without the yearly fundraising efforts and continued support of volunteers, local business and community partners.
“The department holds different fundraising events throughout the year to help raise money for this,” he said. “We also have other businesses that donate money, and the Friends of Princeton Park contribute by bringing in face painters, while our auxiliary team looks after some of the expenses for the bouncy castles. It really takes all of our community partners coming together to put on a successful event.”
Before the evening fireworks display got underway, families were seen gathering in the park to take advantage of the different activities on site. Children laughed and played inside the bouncy castles, while others got up close and personal with different reptiles or waited patiently to have their face painted. On the other side of the park, youngsters were quick to get in line for a chance to use a fire hose and explore the different emergency vehicles on site; many spent their time climbing around the ambulance, sitting in the back seat of a police car or activating the siren of an OPP motorcycle.
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
