Railroad Days 2022: A community celebration

NORTH CANAAN — Railroad Days 2022 in North Canaan generated big community spirit starting on Wednesday, July 13 and ending with a penultimate bang on Saturday night as fireworks lit up the sky. On  Sunday,  it was time for a road race and lobster tails from a food truck. 

St. Martin of Tours Church of St. Joseph set up tables on the lawn for its chicken barbecue dinner.  Salisbury Bank offered free popcorn. There was traditional fried dough and cotton candy at the carnival. The Olde School Deli on Railroad Street kept a steady pace of customers. Firefighters were stationed at the intersection of Routes 7 and 44 for a boot-drive fundraiser. The accordian museum was open without an admission fee and Joe DeClemente of Queens, New York, known as “Papa Joe,” entertained the crowd coming and going from Union Railroad Station with his accordian playing and crooning. 

The parade included fire companies from the Northwest Corner and beyond and a host of community groups joined the procession past a reviewing stand next to Collin’s Diner on Route 44. 

Fire companies, besides North Canaan, included: Norfolk, Sheffield, Falls Village, Lakeville, Sharon, Sandisfield, Colebrook, Cornwall, Warren, Drakeville, Water Witch Hose Co. #2 of New Milford, New Hartford, Pleasant Valley, Riverton, Amenia, New Marlborough, Washington, Beacon, and East Hartland. 

Many other businesses and community groups also participated in the parade.