Views of the setup at the Fair Haven Fire Department for the fair that runs through Saturday, September 5. (Click to enlarge)

Swirling rides and music to match. Chowder. Conviviality.

The annual small-town tradition known as the Fair Haven Firemen’s Fair gets underway tonight, staking its usual claim to the week leading up to Labor Day.

Tonight, that is, as long as Danny keeps his distance.

Danny, of course, is Tropical Storm Danny, which is is expected to sweep the eastern seaboard of the U.S. over the next couple of days. The weather forecast for our area includes the possibility of showers and thunderstorms today through Sunday, with the rain outlook diminishing Monday.

The fair, held on the grounds of the all-volunteer department’s River Road station house, is in its fiftieth year at this location, event co-chairman David Binaco tells today’s Asbury Park Press. And it maintains its distinction as “the largest firemen’s fair in New Jersey and is the second largest fair of any kind in the state,” according to the department website.

Here are the fair hours:

Monday through Thursday — 6 to 10p

Friday and Saturday — 6 to 11p

Closed Sunday