Williamsburg to celebrate 'Pancake Capital of the World' designation with all-new pancake festival

*A Pancake Festival is coming to Williamsburg. (Photo by Ash Craig via Pexels)*

WILLIAMSBURG – Williamsburg will host its first-ever Pancake Festival this month.

The two-day event, to be held Sept. 26 – 27, shines a light on the city’s status as the “Pancake Capital of the World” – a title recognizing that Williamsburg has more pancake house restaurants than any other town in the world.

Festivalgoers can anticipate a weekend full of entertainment and family-friendly fun designed to bring the community and visitors together, according to a Visit Williamsburg news release.

Festivities will kick off on National Pancake Day, Friday, Sept. 26, with an evening of pancakes and live entertainment at the Hellenic Center.

Guests are encouraged to wear their favorite PJs for the ticketed event, which will feature a menu of breakfast favorites and a performance by Tidewater Drive.

Capitol Pancake House will also sponsor a “Pancake Lab” that will allow kids to creatively decorate their own pancakes during the event.

The celebration will move outdoors to Duke of Gloucester Street on Saturday, Sept. 27.

Special activities will be held in Merchants Square from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., including a Sausage Sprint, a dachshund dog race presented by Zoom Room and a pancake-themed children’s book reading. The events will coincide with the Williamsburg Farmers Market.

The festival will conclude with a World Pancake Eating Championship. Professional eaters, including Nick Wehry and Miki Sudo, will compete in a pancake showdown sponsored by Colonial Williamsburg.

“We’ve embraced our identity as the Pancake Capital of the World, and now we’re serving up a festival that reflects the warmth, creativity, and community spirit Williamsburg is known for,” said Edward Harris, CEO of Visit Williamsburg.

In addition to the special programming, Visit Williamsburg and the Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce will launch a “Pancake Trail” – an interactive map for locals and visitors to use to explore Williamsburg’s breakfast scene.

The details: Ticket prices for the Sept. 26 Pancake Festival event will cost $15 for teenagers and $20 for adults. Children and college students, as well as Pancake Trail participants, will receive free admission. The Sept. 27 events will be free to attend.

For more information or to register for the Pancake Trail Pass, go to visitwilliamsburg.com.

“Our hope is that this becomes an annual tradition that not only brings residents together but also draws visitors from near and far to experience all the charm our destination has to offer,” Harris said.