Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper celebrates 70 Years
On the evening of February 21, 2023, the Men of Grace Episcopal Church will host the 70th Anniversary Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper in the church undercroft located on East 5th Avenue off South Main Street in Lexington. The Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper has been hosted by the Men of Grace Episcopal Church since 1953. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual event was paused for the last two years due to health and safety concerns for the hundreds of attendees who enjoy this community tradition.
The word shrove is the past tense of the English verb shrive, which means to obtain forgiveness for one's sins way of confession and doing penance. Pancakes became the food of choice for this pre-Lenten feast so that rich ingredients such as eggs, milk, and sugar could be used up before the start of fasting during the season of Lent. Thanks to its lengthy tradition, wonderful food and fellowship, this event typically attracts 500+ people from the congregation and the larger community.
Carry-out meals are available and a popular option for those who wish to avoid the crowd. In addition to an endless supply of delicious pancakes cooked on a remarkable rotating griddle custom built by one of the event’s founders, Don Blanton, the meal includes approximately 200 lbs. of homemade sausage that is cut from pork shoulders, hand ground, seasoned and cooked on-site by the men of the church.
Proceeds from this event are used to assist a variety of outreach projects in the community. The supper begins at 5:00 p.m. and lasts until 8:00 p.m. in the church undercroft located along East 5th Avenue off South Main Street in Lexington. Tickets are $6.00 for adults and $3.00 for children under age 12, and all are welcomed to attend.
