Happy Pancake Day! I visited the Leadenhall Market Pancake Day Race this year. Pancake Day, also known as Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, is held on the Tuesday that is fourty days before Easter Day. The day is to use up any ingredients before fasting. Many areas also have a traditional "Pancake Day Race", which involves racing and flipping pancakes in a frying pan. This tradition has been happening for years now.
I tried to go to the annual Spitalfields Pancake Day Race, but it was not on this year for some reason, nor is there any information about it being cancelled, which is a little bit strange as the Westminster one was cancelled. I've been going to the Spitalfields one for the past six years except for last year and one other year. It would be a shame if it did not return again.
The Lamb Tavern in Leadenhall Market hosts the annual Pancake Day event with various prizes being donated from some of the businesses at Leadenhall Market. They also had free pancakes available to spectators or anyone who just wanted to enjoy a free pancake on Pancake Day. These included a selection of toppings, such as the traditional British crépe lemon and sugar or honey or banana slices.
Someone brought their dog, who was dressed in a Pancake Day outfit complete with tiny frying pan.
The Pancake Day kicked off with a first set of races followed by a semi-final and a final with the four winning teams receiving a prize from one of the businesses in Leadenhall Market. However, the participants for this race do not wear fancy dress nor get prizes for the best-dressed. I think adding the costumes give the race a whole other dimension.
The winners received a gift and an engraved frying pan. Second to fourth place also won various gifts. For past Pancake Day races, see the below links:
Great Spitalfields Pancake Day Race 2017
Great Spitalfields Pancake Day Race 2015
Great Spitalfields Pancake Day Race 2014
Great Spitalfields Pancake Day Race 2013
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