ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
Pancake Day 2026 will be here shortly, which means it is time for people to get signed up for the annual races.
Race Coordinator Isabelle Sullenger said there is a lot of excitement for the 2026 festivities.
“Those interested in participating in the 2026 Pancake Day races need to go to pancakeday.net to sign up, and sign-ups will be taking place from Jan. 2 through 16, 2026,” Sullenger said. “For women entering the International Race, they must also get their picture taken at the Heritage Realty office at 2 S. Kansas Ave. We are taking sign-ups for all races and all age groups, and just like every other year, the number of contestants in each race is limited to 15. Also just like every other year, there is no entry fee. The Youth Races are open to children 3 to 18 years old, the Men's Pacer Race is open to all men 18 years old and older, the Last Chance Race is open to women 50 years old and older, and the International Race is open to women 18 years old and older. We also decided the Mother/Daughter Race will now alternate every year with the Last Chance race. We will also have our Mascot Race again this year, and that's been a big hit every year and always makes everyone laugh. The Pancake Chase will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026 in front of the International Pancake Hall of Fame at 318 N. Lincoln Ave. And as many people know, there will be a change to the 2026 International Race – eligibility has been expanded to include individuals who have worked in Liberal for at least three months, and that's consistent with the rules in Olney, England.”
Sullenger said she hopes to see a lot of participation in the races.
“Pancake Day is a fun, family-friendly tradition that celebrates Liberal, our history with Olney, and some friendly competition,” Sullenger said. “All of the participants get to be part of a unique event that brings people together and supports Liberal, and it's a great chance to create some memories, have some fun, and be part of a tradition that makes Liberal special. The main thing I hear with the race is 'Oh, I can't do this,' but I think everyone can, the biggest thing is believing in yourself. Even if you're not really a runner, the International Race is just such a cool event and is just so much fun, along with the rest of Pancake Day. There's the breakfast, the races, the Shriving Service afterward and the parade later that afternoon. I know this gets said every year, but the Youth Races fill up VERY quickly, so if your child[ren] want to participate, get everything filled out sooner rather than later so they don't miss out, because we would hate for that to happen. The races are these children's first experience with Pancake Day, and we want it to be as memorable as possible and have as much participation as possible to make everything fun.”
With this being her first year in her role as the race coordinator, Sullenger said she is looking forward to seeing how everything turns out.
“We're really excited about the extension of eligibility for the International Race, because there are many, many women who commute to Liberal who live out of town, and there are many of them who would love to be able to participate since they're invested in the community,” Sullenger said. “And Pancake Day is all about bringing people together, so for those ladies who are working and invested in Liberal, I'm excited to see some of them sign up and be part of the 2026 festivities. I'm the race coordinator and in charge of all the races, which is a first for me. I'm really excited to be in that position because I get to see everything and see how everything turns out. I'm taking over for Matt Quint, and I still remember the pep talk he gave my first International Race and telling us to win for the U.S. He always brought fun and excitement to that role, and I'm grateful to him for showing me the ropes of how everything should run. The teen races are the ones we have a bit of trouble getting participants for, so I'm looking forward to helping possibly expand those numbers. Being at Seymour Rogers Middle School, I'll definitely be spreading the word so those spots can be filled, and I'd also like to see more high school-age participants because that's the next generation of racers. We've also won the last two International Races, so I'd like to see us continue that streak and bring home another win to the U.S. I'm really excited about everything we'll have going on.”
Overall, Sullenger said, she is looking forward to another successful Pancake Day.
“A big thing is everything's for fun and there's not really any pressure. It's a great event and even though there might be some tears, everything is purely for fun, and I've noticed children in general just love to run,” Sullenger said. “We tell parents to go ahead and sign their children up and I also remind them to keep the weather in mind and be sure they're warm enough and have their aprons and little pans and everything else. We're preparing ourselves to be a little colder this year since everything's in February, so I would definitely remind everyone to keep that in mind.”
