GUSTINE — The smell of fresh pancakes and the rumble of classic engines filled the air over the weekend as the Gustine Fire Department hosted its annual pancake breakfast, a long‑running tradition that once again brought out a large crowd of residents and car enthusiasts.

The breakfast, first launched in 1994, has become a staple of the community calendar. Assistant Chief Pat Borrelli said the event has been held 31 times, missing only one year due to extreme heat. “We didn’t have the breakfast one year because it was too hot, and we received a lot of feedback about not having it,” Borrelli said.

Proceeds from the breakfast go directly toward upgrading fire department equipment, a need Borrelli said the community has consistently stepped up to support. The breakfast is held alongside the West Side Auto car show, a partnership that helps boost attendance for both events. “Community support is greatly important,” Borrelli said. “We’ve done it constantly with the car show because people come to the car show and then come eat.”

Volunteers from across Gustine pitched in to help serve the crowd, including members of the Gustine Court, 4‑H, former football players, the Lions Club and city council. “It takes a village,” Borrelli said.

For many residents, the breakfast is more than a fundraiser — it’s a chance to reconnect. Joseph Peterson, attending for the fifth time, said he comes to support the department and meet new people. “I come to support the fire department and meet new friends,” he said.

For others, the tradition spans generations. Kyla Ruiz said her family attends every year, and her husband now enters a truck in the car show. “When I was second runner‑up for Ms. Gustine, I poured orange juice years ago,” she said.

With more than three decades of history behind it, the pancake breakfast continues to highlight the strong bond between the fire department and the community — one plate at a time.