After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Murrieta Fire & Rescue (MFR) is hosting its annual Firefighter’s Barbeque on Saturday, April 23, 2022, from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. at Town Square Park. In celebration of MFR’s 75th anniversary, this year’s event will be bigger than ever with live music at Murrieta’s Town Square Park Amphitheater. The Murrieta Firefighter’s Barbeque is one of Riverside County’s longest running events, with the first barbeque held in 1948. As is the tradition, barbeque guests will enjoy a smoked tri-tip lunch, music, beer garden, bag-toss tournament, and vendors’ market. Attendees will also get to cheer on fire explorers from throughout Southern California in the annual Fire Explorers “Muster” Competition.
The day will be filled with fun, food, and entertainment, and is a way for the community to show their support for the dedicated public safety personnel serving at MFR. It is also a way for MFR to show its appreciation for the community it has served the past 75 years. In addition to the traditional barbeque fare, this year’s event will feature additional food options and general vendors, live music, a DJ, and a beer and wine garden. Fun for all ages, this is an event the Murrieta community won’t want to miss.
Murrieta Fire & Rescue celebrates its 75th anniversary on April 16 of this year. It was on that day in 1947 that the citizens of Murrieta voted to form the Murrieta Fire Protection District. With $1,400 donated by the community, the Fire District purchased a 1941 International 4×4 crash truck. At the toll of a bell atop the Methodist Church, the 10 Fire District volunteers responded to six calls that first year. In 1987, Murrieta Fire & Rescue changed from an all-volunteer Fire District to a combined career and volunteer-staffed Fire District. Always on the cutting edge of fire protection, in July 1990, it was the first fire department in Riverside County to implement the Emergency Medical Technician – Defibrillator (EMT-D). The department now employs 62 sworn personnel and 11 administrative staff. In August of 2018, MFR became the first accredited fire agency in Riverside County and the 19th in the state.
Attending the event is free with a nominal fee for the barbeque lunch. Discounted pre-purchased tickets $15 for adult tickets and $10 for children’s tickets are available on Murrieta Fire & Rescue’s website at www.murrietaca.gov/bbq. There will be a limited number of barbeque tickets available for purchase at the event.
MFR is currently accepting applications for event vendors. Interested vendors should contact Firefighter Paramedic Eilert Meyers at emeyers@murrietaca.gov.
For general inquiries, please contact Firefighter Engineer Michael Macalinao at mmacalinao@murrietaca.gov and be sure to follow @murrietafire on Instagram and Facebook for timely updates about the event.