SULPHUR SPRINGS — Much like most things this year, some annual celebrations are looking a little different.

Instead of the usual gathering with lots of people, a beer garden, a live band, and a 5k run on Friday night, the 36th annual Liberty Township Fireman’s Festival will be a drive through on July 31 and August 1.

“We thought that it was in the better interest of the people we serve to do the right thing and try to do our best to protect them while still having the festival,” fire chief Rick Harley said of the decision to still have the festival this year.

For those who would like to come out, come in off Ridgeton Road onto Liberty Street. Once individuals are up by the firehouse, there will be workers there to direct cars into two different lines where they will take food orders.

Menus will be posted along the lines and will be shorter than normal this year. A meal will be $10 and will have either a beef, pork, or bratwurst sandwich, baked beans, potato salad or macaroni salad, and a water. Individuals can add another sandwich for $4, a hotdog for $1, and apple, cherry, or peach pie for $2 a slice.

“We have a shorter menu with not as many choices for sides and not as many flavors of pies as we tried to simplify it. We were pretty determined that we weren’t going to raise the prices this year even though the price of beef went crazy early on in the pandemic,” Harley said. “Our community is such a ‘give, give, give,’ community and we want to be able to have the festival and give back a little bit.”

The department is still having the gun raffle, with tickets available for $5 in the line. Winners will be drawn at 8 p.m. on July 31 and notified soon.

“We don’t know how it’s going to work — everybody has had a little input on it, and we’ve got it down to where we think it’s going to work,” Harley said. “We’ve been in contact quite a bit with the health department on what to do and what not to do, and we are ready.”

Department members would like to thank all those who have sponsored and donated because this event would not be as successful without them.

“We’re glad that with everything going on, we are still able to have our festival in some form to be able to give back to the community. We are looking forward to hopefully having the festival be normal again next year, but until then, we are going to do the best with what we’ve got,” Harley said.

Festival hours are 3-8 p.m. on Friday and noon to 8 p.m. Saturday.