The Firefighters Association Fish Fry is back Saturday, June 4, in Palm Springs.
“Palm Springs Firefighters Association Fish Fry is Back!” the city of Palm Springs said in a tweet Wednesday. “After a two-year hiatus due to COVID, the Palm Springs Firefighters Association is delighted to invite residents to once again come out and enjoy some fantastic fried fish served up by its hardworking firefighters!”
The fish fry is scheduled for June 4 from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. at Ruth Hardy Park, 700 Tamarisk Drive, according to the event flyer. Firefighters will serve rainbow trout, corn on the cob, coleslaw, and beverages. Burgers and hot dogs will be provided for those who don’t eat fish. The event will also feature live music and dancing. The fee to attend the 89th annual fish fry is $10 per person.
The last fish fry was also held at Ruth Hardy Park, according to an article by KESQ. Traditionally, the fish fry is hosted by Palm Springs firefighters who work to prepare trout and side dishes for the community. Hundreds of community members attended the last fish fry in 2019.
The event began in June of 1931, the year the fire department was established and has served as a fundraiser for the firefighters ever since. The Chamber of Commerce raised $500 for the down payment on the town’s first fire truck, known as the “Red Devil,” according to Palm Springs Life. Prior to the purchase of “Red Devil,” volunteer firefighters responded to fires with a handcart, which was purchased by business owners in 1921 and pushed to each location. Besides vastly improving response time, the “Red Devil” carried much of the equipment firemen needed to put out fires such as ladders and hoses.
The Palm Springs community has a long record of uniting to help with fire safety and raising funds for equipment, and today that community support takes the form of the fish fry, according to Palm Springs Life.
