diff --git a/esphome/components/event/__init__.py b/esphome/components/event/__init__.py
index e2b69ba872..8fac7a279c 100644
--- a/esphome/components/event/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/event/__init__.py
@@ -90,9 +90,7 @@ async def setup_event_core_(var, config, *, event_types: list[str]):
 
     for conf in config.get(CONF_ON_EVENT, []):
         trigger = cg.new_Pvariable(conf[CONF_TRIGGER_ID], var)
-        await automation.build_automation(
-            trigger, [(cg.std_string, "event_type")], conf
-        )
+        await automation.build_automation(trigger, [(cg.StringRef, "event_type")], conf)
 
     cg.add(var.set_event_types(event_types))
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/event/automation.h b/esphome/components/event/automation.h
index 5bdba18687..7730506c10 100644
--- a/esphome/components/event/automation.h
+++ b/esphome/components/event/automation.h
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@ template<typename... Ts> class TriggerEventAction : public Action<Ts...>, public
   void play(const Ts &...x) override { this->parent_->trigger(this->event_type_.value(x...)); }
 };
 
-class EventTrigger : public Trigger<std::string> {
+class EventTrigger : public Trigger<StringRef> {
  public:
   EventTrigger(Event *event) {
-    event->add_on_event_callback([this](const std::string &event_type) { this->trigger(event_type); });
+    event->add_on_event_callback([this](StringRef event_type) { this->trigger(event_type); });
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/event/event.cpp b/esphome/components/event/event.cpp
index 8015f2255a..667d4218f3 100644
--- a/esphome/components/event/event.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/event/event.cpp
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ void Event::trigger(const std::string &event_type) {
   }
   this->last_event_type_ = found;
   ESP_LOGD(TAG, "'%s' >> '%s'", this->get_name().c_str(), this->last_event_type_);
-  this->event_callback_.call(event_type);
+  this->event_callback_.call(StringRef(found));
 #if defined(USE_EVENT) && defined(USE_CONTROLLER_REGISTRY)
   ControllerRegistry::notify_event(this);
 #endif
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ void Event::set_event_types(const std::vector<const char *> &event_types) {
   this->last_event_type_ = nullptr;  // Reset when types change
 }
 
-void Event::add_on_event_callback(std::function<void(const std::string &event_type)> &&callback) {
+void Event::add_on_event_callback(std::function<void(StringRef event_type)> &&callback) {
   this->event_callback_.add(std::move(callback));
 }
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/event/event.h b/esphome/components/event/event.h
index f77ad326d9..b5519a0520 100644
--- a/esphome/components/event/event.h
+++ b/esphome/components/event/event.h
@@ -70,10 +70,10 @@ class Event : public EntityBase, public EntityBase_DeviceClass {
   /// Check if an event has been triggered.
   bool has_event() const { return this->last_event_type_ != nullptr; }
 
-  void add_on_event_callback(std::function<void(const std::string &event_type)> &&callback);
+  void add_on_event_callback(std::function<void(StringRef event_type)> &&callback);
 
  protected:
-  LazyCallbackManager<void(const std::string &event_type)> event_callback_;
+  LazyCallbackManager<void(StringRef event_type)> event_callback_;
   FixedVector<const char *> types_;
 
  private:
diff --git a/esphome/components/template/select/__init__.py b/esphome/components/template/select/__init__.py
index 0e9c240547..574f1f5fb7 100644
--- a/esphome/components/template/select/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/template/select/__init__.py
@@ -88,5 +88,5 @@ async def to_code(config):
 
     if CONF_SET_ACTION in config:
         await automation.build_automation(
-            var.get_set_trigger(), [(cg.std_string, "x")], config[CONF_SET_ACTION]
+            var.get_set_trigger(), [(cg.StringRef, "x")], config[CONF_SET_ACTION]
         )
diff --git a/esphome/components/template/select/template_select.cpp b/esphome/components/template/select/template_select.cpp
index 9d2df0956b..818abfc1d7 100644
--- a/esphome/components/template/select/template_select.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/template/select/template_select.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ void TemplateSelect::update() {
 }
 
 void TemplateSelect::control(size_t index) {
-  this->set_trigger_->trigger(std::string(this->option_at(index)));
+  this->set_trigger_->trigger(StringRef(this->option_at(index)));
 
   if (this->optimistic_)
     this->publish_state(index);
diff --git a/esphome/components/template/select/template_select.h b/esphome/components/template/select/template_select.h
index 2757c51405..114d25b9ce 100644
--- a/esphome/components/template/select/template_select.h
+++ b/esphome/components/template/select/template_select.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include "esphome/core/automation.h"
 #include "esphome/core/component.h"
 #include "esphome/core/preferences.h"
+#include "esphome/core/string_ref.h"
 #include "esphome/core/template_lambda.h"
 
 namespace esphome::template_ {
@@ -17,7 +18,7 @@ class TemplateSelect final : public select::Select, public PollingComponent {
   void dump_config() override;
   float get_setup_priority() const override { return setup_priority::HARDWARE; }
 
-  Trigger<std::string> *get_set_trigger() const { return this->set_trigger_; }
+  Trigger<StringRef> *get_set_trigger() const { return this->set_trigger_; }
   void set_optimistic(bool optimistic) { this->optimistic_ = optimistic; }
   void set_initial_option_index(size_t initial_option_index) { this->initial_option_index_ = initial_option_index; }
   void set_restore_value(bool restore_value) { this->restore_value_ = restore_value; }
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ class TemplateSelect final : public select::Select, public PollingComponent {
   bool optimistic_ = false;
   size_t initial_option_index_{0};
   bool restore_value_ = false;
-  Trigger<std::string> *set_trigger_ = new Trigger<std::string>();
+  Trigger<StringRef> *set_trigger_ = new Trigger<StringRef>();
   TemplateLambda<std::string> f_;
 
   ESPPreferenceObject pref_;