43 Annual CNY Maple Festival Pancake Eating Contest

It’s a sweet way to kick off the 43 Annual CNY Maple Festival, on Saturday, April 13, when ten (10) pancake eaters mount the Marathon High School Stage, in the auditorium, for the 17th Annual Pancake Eating Contest. The 9:00am contest has become a “Festival favorite”. The 15 minute contest begins when the newly crowned Maple Festival Queen drops a sap bucket with a loud bang! Forking down pancakes for their favorite “not-for-profit” organizations are: John Potter- CNY Living History Center; Patrick Rand- Moravia Volunteer Fire Department; Sam Rappolt- “Clarabug’s Quest For A Cure”; James Cataldo-Presbyterian Church; Kevin Tillotson-Methodist Church; James Davenport-Tully H.S. Golf Team; Ben Johnston-Cortland Homer Rugby Football Club; Hunter White-Lime Hollow Nature Center; Ken Padbury -MCS Girls Field Hockey Team and Lucas Erno-Cortland County Youth Hockey Association.

Pancakes are served 3 at a time. Every organization mentioned has been actively soliciting donations and pledges per pancake. The Maple Festival donates $2 a pancake to each charity. Last year over $8,000 was earned by the pancake eaters.

What is the record number of most pancakes eaten by a single eater? The number is 35 and that record was made by Joe LaRue of Vestal who now lives in Kentucky.

Coordinator and originator of the contest, Connie White, invites everyone to come and cheer on the participants. “This good old fashioned fun contest brings a lot of joy” she says, “every family has a pancake eating champ, these contestants are raising funds for worthy causes.”

Don’t miss it!