PTK celebrates Shrove Tuesday by continuing the tradition of the pancake race and providing students with the opportunity to enjoy pancakes for breakfast. Multiple students showed up to the quad as well as faculty and staff members to participate in the race. This staple tradition of Fat Tuesday gave students a hands-on activity in an age-old quirky historical past!

Here’s a link to the history and photos!

No one is quite certain how the world-famous Pancake Race at Olney originated. One story tells of a harassed housewife, hearing the shriving bell, dashing to the Church still clutching her frying pan containing a pancake. Another tells that the gift of pancakes may have been a bribe to the Ringer, or Sexton that he might ring the bell sooner; for ringing the bell signalled the beginning of the day’s holiday and enjoyment, no less than to summon the people to the service at which they would be shriven of their sins before the long Lenten feast.

Tradition declares that the race was first run in the year 1445, pancakes at the time being a popular dish, receiving royal favour. It was run on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent, and the whole day was given over to a festival of celebration, pranks and pastimes. It is not known where the original start line was but the finish line was at the Church door.  (stolen directly from: http://olneypancakerace.org/pancake-race-history/#:~:text=Tradition%20declares%20that%20the%20race%20was%20first%20run,to%20a%20festival%20of%20celebration%2C%20pranks%20and%20pastimes.)