Three-year-old Alex Wells watches the October 1993 Chesapeake Fire Parade in the arms of his father, Kevin. The child insisted on wearing his fire helmet to watch the parade, his father said. (The Ironton Tribune | File Photo | Mike James)

Balloon pilot Marcel Fortin, of Charleston, West Virginia, stands in the October 1993 rain and waits to see if the storm clouds will lift. Ironton remained socked in, however, the inaugural Ironton Hot Air Balloonfest was grounded for the year. Bad weather also stopped the festival, although carnival rides had been set up at the Ironton Hills Shopping Center all week. (The Ironton Tribune | File Photo | Mike James)

Kiwanis Club members Tim Gearhart, left, and Ralph Miller cook pasta for the club’s annual dinner in October 1993 at the First United Methodist Church. Club members cooked batches of sauce made from a secret Kiwanis recipe for the dinner. (The Ironton Tribune | File Photo | Mike James)

Josh Adkins, 7, left, and Ben Murphy, 8, munch on candy while waiting for the results of the results of judging in the annual Ironton Halloween parade in October 1993. (The Ironton Tribune | File Photo | Mike James)

Hanging Rock Police Captain Bob Dillion, in vampire costume, whispers to fellow officer Darren Schug while judging a costume contest. The officers chose the winners during a party for the village children in October 1993. (The Ironton Tribune | File Photo | Mike James)

Bill Dunn of A.G. Lichenstein & Associates records videotape of the masonry holding up the Ironton–Russell Bridge in October 1993. Dunn was one of a team making the yearly inspection of the bridge. The job includes concrete and steel testing and an underwater inspection. (The Ironton Tribune | File Photo | Mike James)

In October 1993, Burlington Fire Chief Jerry Lockhart sorts out some 50 street signs remaining to be put up in Burlington. Members of the Concerned Citizens of the Burlington Area, which bought the signs, put them up in the second phase of the group’s project to mark streets. (The Ironton Tribune | File Photo | Mike James)