The 28-year tradition celebrates the city's founding on May 14, 1636.
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Nancy Kocsmiersky of Springfield, cuts pancakes for her daughters, Charisma 6, right, and Charlotte 4,left, at the 2012 World's Largest Pancake Breakfast in Springfield. Forget the donuts this weekend. Instead “it’s time to make the pancakes” once again, a spring ritual which turns Main Street in Springfield into one giant breakfast table for a morning of wolfing down those fluffy breakfast cakes and lots of commiserating.
Those ever so light pancakes will be flying from the griddle to the plates of thousands of breakfast champions on Saturday during the World’s Largest Pancake Breakfast, a 28-year tradition celebrating the city’s founding on May 14, 1636.
Accompanying the two tasty round orbs being dished out to hungry folks, there will also be, while supplies last, Carando Classic Italian bacon or pancetta, all washed down with free coffee, juice and milk. Tickets are $3 for adults and $1 for children.
Sponsored by MGM Springfield, the flapjack feast will begin for early birds at 8 a.m. and continue until 11 a.m. or until everyone at the giant table stretching down the middle of Main Street from Court Square to Tower Square has been served. Overseeing the festivities as honorary chairman will be Jim Murren, international chairman and chief executive officer of MGM Resorts.
“As delicious as the breakfast is, I’ve always said that Springfield’s annual Pancake Breakfast is about much more than sitting down at the table to enjoy a good nosh,” said Judith A. Matt, president, Spirit of Springfield, organizers of the annual breakfast feast
And Carmine Capuano of Springfield UNICO agrees, noting the breakfast is “all about community.”
“About 12 of us from Springfield UNICO volunteer each year because it’s a great way to celebrate the pancake breakfast with the residents of downtown Springfield and everyone else who attends. It’s like a big picnic where you get to see old friends, even relatives, and meet new friends, as well. We always pray for the sun to shine on this glorious day. I personally have a great time every year and look forward to it,” said Capuano, who is captain of their tent overseeing the entire process of making the pancakes and dishing them out.
“It’s my job to make sure that we don’t run out of any ingredients and to get them replenished fast. As far as making the pancakes, the big thing is to make sure you have the correct temperature on the grill or the pancake batter will stick and the pancake will fall apart. Cooks must put the batter on the hot grill, then as soon as they see little bubbles starting to appear it means that side is done. Then they must flip the pancake to its other side and cook it until it’s a good golden brown,” he added.
In addition to UNICO, the three food tents and 10 beverage stations are staffed by early-rising, hard-working volunteers from 94.7 WMAS, ABC40/FOX6, Armoury Quadrangle Civic Association, Exchange Club of Springfield, John Boyle O’Reilly Club, ROCK102, Springfield Area Transit Company, Springfield Code Enforcement, Springfield Department of Health and Human Services, Springfield Law Department, United States Postal Service, WSHM-TV CBS3 and others. Assisting them in a variety of duties at the breakfast will be the Massachusetts Army National Guard and the Springfield Business Improvement District.
Murren, along with Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, will personally thank the volunteer groups for their service to the community and welcome everyone to the breakfast during a brief speaking program at 9:30 a.m. at the Falcon Way Stage. Murren will also be serenaded by the Edward P. Boland School Chorus with a rendition of the “Pancake Song,” which Matt said is personalized each year with special lyrics to match who they have chosen as their honorary chairman.
“MGM has learned a lot about the heart of Springfield through the Spirit of Springfield’s dynamic community events, and we have a similar passion for civic engagement. I am looking forward to this unique opportunity to have one-to-one conversations with residents, volunteers and local partners,” Murren said.
Along with a little conversation with neighbors at the breakfast table, there will be a cast of dancers and other performers to entertain one and all at stages located on Harrison Avenue and Falcon Way. Showing off their talents will be the Sci-Tech High School Band, Edward P. Boland School Chorus, Mary Ann School of Dance, Hunting School of Dance, Children’s Chorus of Springfield, Dazzle Dance Studio, Falcetti Music, Lower Liberty Heights Action Team, DREAM Studio, and the Academy of Artistic Performance.
Filling Court Square with activities will be MGM Springfield who will have tickets to the Pitbull concert at the MassMutual Center to give away, samplings from the McDonald’s menu, and displays of apparatus from the Springfield Police and Fire Departments.
“Kids especially love trying the hoses, which firemen let them do, and getting to climb high into the sky on one of the fire engine’s platforms,” Matt said.
There will also be horse-drawn wagon and miniature train rides.
In addition to MGM Springfield, the World’s Largest Pancake Breakfast is supported by many area businesses donating products and services. They include Allied Waste, Baystate Health, Cabot Creamery, Costco, Friendly Restaurants, Green Mountain Coffee, H. P. Hood, Mercy Medical Center, Mansfield Paper, McDonald’s, Performance Food Service, Williams Distributing, Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, and Carando Foods.
Dan Incaudo, vice president of sales and general manager for Carando Foods in Springfield, was humble about their contribution to the city’s big party each year.
“You could almost say we’re not doing much when you see all the hard work from the volunteers who make the breakfast happen,” Incaudo said.
But while they may not be working physically for the breakfast, Carando supplies the bacon and pancetta that thousands of breakfast lovers look forward to having every year alongside their pancakes.
“For us, it’s all about community, and anything that brings the community together is a positive thing. That’s why we enjoying being a part of this wonderful annual event,” Incaudo said.
And, to make sure that those who really want to attend the breakfast but can’t “for one reason or another,” said Matt, the Spirit of Springfield has distributed 60,000 free tickets to area school systems, including Springfield, Agawam Chicopee, Ludlow, East Longmeadow, Holyoke, Westfield, West Springfield and many others so they won’t go hungry that morning.