OGDENSBURG -- The annual Kids Games sponsored by the Ogdensburg Firefighters Association, in conjunction with the Seaway Festival, take place on Saturday, July 21 from 1-4 p.m. in the Greenbelt next to Kids Kingdom.

The event is completely free of charge and includes pizza, subs, drinks, helium balloons, and a raffle drawing for prizes.

The department will set up its ladder truck to spray the kids with water if it's a nice day.

The events include sprints, one-and-two-person sack races, two-person wheelbarrow races, a water balloon fight, and the greased pole challenge. There's also a ring toss game for the chance to win a one-liter drink.

For each event, the top three finishers get to choose from a prize pool.

Competitors will be grouped by age, usually starting out with 2-year-olds (running only) all the way up to 16-year-olds.

The greased pole challenge provides the opportunity to win $5, if kids can make it to the end and ring the bell. The 20-foot pole is extended over the river and coated with cooking grease (shortening).

Local businesses supplement the department’s purchases every year with donations of food, drinks, and prizes.

Howland Pump supplied a generous monetary donation this year, which will be used to purchase prizes, organizers said.

The event usually draws close to 100 kids, said organizers.