75th International Pancake Day race today in Liberal

LIBERAL, Kan. (KSNW) – The 75th annual International Pancake Day race will be held in Liberal today. The women are gearing up for competition between Olney, England, where they will run 415 yards flipping pancakes. The race will happen at 11:55 a.m.

The day has several events, including a pancake breakfast, pancake eating and flipping contests, youth races, a men’s pacer race, the international race, the shriving service, an international video call between the two cities, and capping it with a parade. 

KSN News will be in Liberal to cover the race.

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE PANCAKE DAY RACE?

In Olney, England, the race tradition dates back nearly 600 years to 1445. A woman engrossed in using up cooking fats (forbidden during Lent) was making pancakes. Hearing the church bells ring, calling everyone to the shriving service, she grabbed her head scarf (required in church) and ran 415 yards to the church, skillet and pancake in hand and still apron-clad. Neighbors got into the act in the following years, and it became a race to see who could reach the church first and collect a “Kiss of Peace” from the verger (bell-ringer.) 

WHY DOES THE DATE CHANGE FOR PANCAKE DAY?

Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, and Pancake Day all refer to the same day, the day before the beginning of Lent. Lent is the 40 days of fasting and prayer before Easter Sunday. Since Easter changes each year, so does the date for Shrove Tuesday.

HOW DID PANCAKE DAY GET STARTED IN AMERICA?

Liberal Jaycee President R.J. Leete contacted the Rev. Ronald Collins, Vicar of St. Peter and St. Paul’s church in Olney, challenging their women to race against women of Liberal.  

HOW MANY RACES HAVE THE TOWNS WON?

The overall score stands at 40 wins for Liberal and 31 for Olney. In 1980, the score didn’t count because a media truck blocked the finish line in Olney. In 2017, the race did not count due to a malfunction in the time clock. In 2021, the event was canceled due to a global pandemic.