Laytonsville District Volunteer Fire Department

Children's Birthday Parties

**We are currently not taking any requests for birthdays in 2022 due to COVID-19. Thank you for supporting your local fire department.**

The Following is a List of Month's we will be holding Birthday Parties:

March, April, May, June, September, October, November

Children love fire trucks, ambulances and parties - and it's a piece of cake for the parents too! From set-up to clean-up, we do all the work so that the entire family has time to enjoy the happy occasion. All you have to do is select a date, time and order a cake, we'll do the rest. 

Guests at the party are provided a tour of the station, apparatus, and fire safety activities. Guests also are shown demonstrations of the firefighting equipment, play games with firefighters, and are given the chance to pretend to be firefighters with activities that simulate actual firefighting.

Contact Anastasia Laurenzo with LDVFD at birthdayparties@ldvfd.org to discuss the details of your party and to start planning this fun filled day! If you have additional questions, we invite you to visit the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section below.

If you would like to book a party after reading the FAQ's, click here and fill out the form in its entirety and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.

If you would like to view photos from other parties, click here.

Set Up Photos

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I book a party?

Email Anastasia Laurenzo with LDVFD at birthdayparties@ldvfd.org with your full name, first and second choice of party dates, choice of party time we offer two choices 2.5 hours each (11:00am-1:30pm) or (3:00pm-5:30pm) on Saturday's only contact number(s) and the best time to call. (We will be holding only 2-3 parties a month).

What if my date and time for my party is not available?

We make every attempt to accommodate your requested date and time. If your date and time is not available we will provide you with alternate dates and times to closely meet your request.

Once my party has been booked, what do I need to do?

Contact us at least 5 days prior to the date of your party to confirm your final guest count (both children and adults).

How long does my party last?

All parties are scheduled for 2.5 hours each either 11:00am-1:30pm or 3:00pm-5:30pm, on Saturday's, but we can be flexible depending on the size of your party.

What do you provide for this party?

• Birthday child will receive:
  • special color fire helmet
  • token birthday gift from Laytonsville VFD
• All children attending the party will receive:
  • fire helmet
  • goodie bag that includes age appropriate fire related items (Keep in mind we DO NOT provide any food products inside these bags. However, the day of the event if you bring something you want added to the bags I will be happy to include it)?                                       
• All table coverings and some decorations    
• Ice
• Set-up and clean-up
• 2.5 hours of supervision, (one parent per child and/or family must stay for children for insurance liability reasons in case of an emergency), tour of fire station to include the fire trucks and ambulance, meet and greet with a friendly firefighter to review fire safety, and play various age appropriate games.

What do I need to bring to my party?

You are responsible for providing all snacks, food, cake and beverages, paper plates, cups, and both eating and serving utensils. We do not recommend ice cream cakes or ice cream as we do not have freezers for you to store these items in.

We have pre-negotiated discounted rates with a pizza vendor, if interested.

What kind of decorations do you have and/or can I bring my own?

We have "red" table coverings for all the tables, fire truck centerpieces and fire truck "Happy Birthday" banners. However, you are more than welcome to bring your own decorations if you would like something different. We do not provide balloons, but you are welcome to bring them. We do not allow Piñatas’.

Do you do parties for girls? Would my daughter like this?

Absolutely, about half of our parties have been boy/girl parties, a quarter have been just boy parties and the other quarter have been just girl parties. Fire trucks are for girls, too!

Is there a limit to the number of children I can invite?

We can accommodate up to 20 children as long as I received your final guest count five days prior to the event.

What is the average age of the children you do parties for?

Our parties are tailored for any age group from 4 years old to 10 years old. It's common that most preschoolers go through a phase where they are fascinated with fire trucks and ambulances. We have a lot of experience working with younger children; therefore, our interaction with children and the games we play and other activities we do are age appropriate and can be tailored for any age group.

What is expected from me?

On the day of the event we do request the assistance of several adults to help supervise the children and ensure that everyone stays safely away from the fire equipment should we get a call since we are an active fire station. We will review this again with everyone the day of the event while going over housekeeping items (bathroom locations, etc.). Due to our insurance liabilities we cannot allow parents to drop their children and leave the party. – One parent must stay per family - it is your responsibility as the host to explain this to the parents!

Do you teach them a lot of fire safety during the party?

Throughout the party hands-on activities and games emphasize the importance of fire prevention and safety, firefighters, firefighting; all in an age appropriate way. It is a birthday party and the children want to have fun with the other children, play on the fire trucks and the ambulance and they are not there to hear a fire safety lecture, so all fire and safety information is presented in a fun and more subtle way.

May we videotape and/or take photos?

Yes, of course! There are plenty of great photo and video opportunities. Many priceless memories can be captured. We have intentionally designed our party experiences so that they have many staged moments for adorable photos of your kids.

How much does it cost? How do I pay?

It is on a donation basis starting at $300.00 and goes up. You make your (tax deductible) donation to the Laytonsville District Volunteer Fire Department or just to "LDVFD". We ask that you either make a check payable to LDVFD or pay in cash and give it to LDVFD at the end of your event.