Calgary Stampede Sets New Guinness World Record for Most Pancakes Served

A young girl sits on a stack of pancakes for the 100th anniversary of the Stampede pancake breakfast on Family Day at the Calgary Stampede on July 9, 2023. Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press

The Calgary Stampede, the annual event known as the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, has officially broken the Guinness World Record for the most pancakes served in eight hours.

The Stampede served 17,182 pancakes on July 9, as verified by an official Guinness World Records judge, and even with 15 pancakes disqualified, Calgary beat the previous world record by more than 2,900 pancakes in roughly four hours.

Calgary Stampede spokeswoman Shannon Greer told The Epoch Times on July 10 that guests were welcomed to Tim Hortons Family Day for a free pancake breakfast, which was held at the GMC Stampede Courtyard.

“Families gathered to get a taste of the iconic Calgary Stampede pancake breakfast, but what they did not know was that they would be a part of history,” said Ms. Greer.

Besides celebrating 100 Years of Pancakes and 100 years in operation, an adjudicator from Guinness announced that this year’s Calgary Stampede had surpassed the previous world record of 14,280 pancakes served in eight hours.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith tosses pancakes over her shoulder at her Stampede pancake breakfast in Calgary, Alta., on July 10, 2023. Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press

The Calgary Stampede surpassed that total, and all the pancakes were served before noon, said Ms. Greer, adding that the new world record was “the cherry on top (or should we say the syrup) of this special day.”

“Pancake breakfasts symbolize the importance of community spirit, and the Calgary Stampede is honoured to be a gathering place for the community to enjoy the beloved pancake breakfast.”

The history of the Calgary Stampede pancake breakfast began in 1923, when the competitors in the Stampede’s first chuckwagon races gathered for what would become the first pancake breakfast.

“Over the next hundred years, thousands of volunteers have made millions of pancakes to honour our heritage and build our community,” said Ms. Greer.

The milestone’s official attempt began on July 9 at 7:03 a.m. local time and ended exactly three hours and 31 minutes later. To beat the world record, the pancakes were required to be at least five inches in diameter, verified by rulers.

“Our goal was to break the record and we did,” said Ms. Greer.

A number of politicians showed up at this year’s Calgary Stampede to flip pancakes, including Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on July 8.

Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, whose hometown is Calgary, also attended the Stampede on July 8 and spoke to the crowd, but he flipped pancakes at a breakfast held at Marlborough Mall on the city’s east side.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.