Williamsburg, Virginia is known as the Pancake Capital of the World, and the city is leaning all the way into that delicious moniker with the launch of a Pancake Trail and its first-ever Pancake Festival.
Why Williamsburg? The town has more pancake houses per square mile than anywhere else in the country—with nearly a dozen independent pancake houses and a handful of flapjack-serving breakfast spots for its population of 15,000—making it the rightful headquarters for all things flapjack. Now they’re sharing that bounty with two days of breakfast-fueled fun and a Pancake Trail to highlight the goods.
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The festival, set for September 26 and 27, kicks off Friday evening on National Pancake Day. Expect stacks on stacks of pancakes served with live music, pajama-clad crowds (yes, PJs are encouraged to enhance the "breakfast for dinner" vibe) and a "Pancake Lab" courtesy of Capitol Pancake House. Kids can hit up the pancake-decorating zone or get their face painted for the occasion.
Saturday morning shifts the party outdoors to Duke of Gloucester Street when festivalgoers can cheer on the Sausage Sprint (a dachshund race that’s exactly as cute as it sounds), listen to pancake-themed children's book readings and watch competitive eaters Miki Sudo and Nick Wehry tackle the World Pancake Eating Championship.
But just one weekend of indulgence isn't enough for this pancake hub. Launching alongside the festival is the brand-new Pancake Trail, a self-guided tour of the area's best breakfast joints. Download the app to score deals at spots like Shorty’s Diner, Astronomical Pancake House and Southern Pancake Waffle House. Leading up to the festival, if you complete the trail you'll get a t-shirt and tickets to the festival.
Tickets for Friday’s festival kickoff are $20 for adults and $15 for teens, while kids, college students and anyone who’s completed the Pancake Trail get in free.
So loosen your waistband and get ready to make Williamsburg your new breakfast pilgrimage. After all, when a city calls itself the Pancake Capital of the World, you owe it to yourself to taste the proof.