Pancake Race

The Pancake Race is a Mardi Gras party traditional dating back several centuries. It is a great way to add both fun and nostalgia to your event.

Directions

While the Pancake Race is traditionally run by women, men have long been allowed to participate provided they wear the apron and bandana.

The Set Up: Mark off a course with a start and finish line as well as a few twists and turns along the way. Take a lightweight skillet with a pancake in it and give the course a try to determine how many flips of the pancake to require for your race. The goal should be approximately one flip per 4-5 steps. Once you have decided on a flip requirement make sure you have available the lightweight skillet, a lot of extra pancakes, an apron(the tackier the better), a brightly colored bandana, an oven mitt, a stop watch as well as pen and piece of paper.

The Rules: Have the first constant stand ready at the start line wearing the apron, the bandana on their head, the oven mitt, while carrying the lightweight skillet with a pancake in it. Give a Ready, Set, Go! and start the stopwatch as the player starts to run the race. As the racer navigates the course keep a count of the number of pancake flips. If a pancake breaks when dropped have someone ready with a replacement pancake. When they finish, if they ran the correct course and made at least the required number of pancake flips record their time. The first player gives all of the gear to the next player and the process continues. Once all Mardi Gras party guests have had a turn, the one with the fastest time is declared the winner.

Photo op: The Pancake Race provides excellent opportunity for taking hilarious photos of your party guests.

Clear the Field of Play: As is the case with any active outdoor game, make sure the playing area is clear of anything the party guests might twist an ankle on or trip over.