A 108-year-old fire truck will roll down Maple Avenue when Vienna's annual Halloween Parade returns on Wednesday, Oct. 28.

Falls Church's "Old Tom," a 1918 Model T Ford retrofitted with chemical tanks, is expected to join the parade lineup, the Town of Vienna said on X. The town shared a 1956 photograph showing the truck with Honorary Fire Chief Diane Esper and Ray Turner.

The Falls Church Volunteer Fire Department (FCVFD) purchased the Model T in 1918 as one of the first pieces of motorized fire equipment in Northern Virginia, according to the department's history page. The truck was retrofitted with chemical tanks from the department's original 55-gallon engine. The FCVFD still owns Old Tom and displays it at its annual Fire Prevention Week Open House and local parades.

The truck's early years were not without drama. In 1923, when a fire broke out at the Eagle House, Old Tom was found buried under several tons of lumber at the Falls Church Lumber Company in East Falls Church, according to FCVFD records. That incident prompted a reorganization of the fire department.

This year's parade theme is "Haunted History: 250 Years of America." Mark Keam, who leads the Korean American Institute and previously served as a Virginia state lawmaker, will serve as grand marshal, according to the town's parade page. The town cited his public service and advocacy for the greater Vienna area.

Vienna has hosted the Halloween parade since 1946.

The event runs rain or shine along Maple Avenue from Branch Road to Center Street, starting at 7 p.m. Children in costume can march without registering. Families should meet at 6 p.m. at United Bank, 374 Maple Ave., E.

Free goodie bags will be handed out starting at 7:15 p.m. at the Caffi Field Pitching Lanes on Cherry Street SE, between the Vienna Community Center and the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department.

Temporary metal fencing will line both sides of Maple Avenue along the parade route. Road closures and detour information are available on the town's website.

Coming up:

  • Wednesday, Oct. 28: Vienna Halloween Parade, 7 p.m., Maple Avenue