Crowds are expected to descend on Scarborough later this month for the return of the town’s unique Shrove Tuesday celebrations. The annual event, which famously combines high-speed pancake races with communal seaside skipping, remains one of the most anticipated dates on the local calendar.
The festivities will officially begin at midday on Tuesday 17th February when the chairman of North Yorkshire Council, Cllr George Jabbour, rings the historic Pancake Bell on North Street. In centuries past, the bell served as a signal for local housewives to begin frying their pancakes, and it continues to hold significant symbolic value for the community today.
Cllr George Jabbour said: “It is a privilege to be asked to ring the bell to signal the start of the festivities. This event is eagerly anticipated each year and keenly contested, and I look forward to meeting all those taking part and cheering on from the sidelines.”
Following the bell ringing, the action moves to Aberdeen Walk for the pancake races. Competitors from local businesses, often dressed in elaborate fancy dress, must navigate a tricky obstacle course while flipping pancakes. The stakes are high, with teams vying for the coveted golden frying pan trophy.
Last year’s winner, Chris Golder, manager of Boyes in Scarborough, said: “The pancake race has been something we look forward to every year at Boyes. It is a great event that we have been competing in for over 20 years. The crowds are great and really cheer the teams on and it is a real tradition in Scarborough which makes it such a fun day.”
Once the races conclude, onlookers typically head down to the foreshore to take part in the town’s long-standing skipping tradition. The sight of hundreds of people skipping along the seafront has become a hallmark of the day, drawing visitors from across the region to witness the spectacle.
