CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Frontier Days fans flocked to the Cheyenne Depot Plaza this morning to get one thing: pancakes, pancakes and more pancakes.
Held on the Monday, Wednesday and second Friday of Frontier Days from 7 to 9 a.m., the free pancake event provides more than 100,000 pancakes, 520 gallons of coffee and 475 gallons of syrup, among other items, to attendees. The event is officially hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Cheyenne, but recruits volunteers from other local organizations.
Attendees received a hearty stack of golden-brown pancakes, which they could then top with maple syrup, butter and fresh berries. In a closed-off section of the plaza, dozens of cooks poured batter on portable griddles and flipped them high into the air for other volunteers to catch on a sheet pan. The cheery sounds of live music and entertainment echoed throughout the plaza. CFD is celebrating Military Monday today, and the live band took a moment to acknowledge and thank members of the Armed Services who were in the crowd.
June Morrison, a member of Cheyenne’s Military Committee and a CFD volunteer, said she loves seeing the community enjoy CFD festivities like the pancake breakfast.
“I absolutely love CFD and our community, visitors from out of town, out of state, out of the country. It’s amazing,” she said.
Decked out in a bright purple shirt, Morrison stood in front of the Depot Plaza Museum and directed people to the pancake lines. Last year the breakfast hosted 18,785 attendees across all three days, according to the Kiwanis Club. Today’s attendance was roughly 4,160, but Morrison thinks more people will show up at the next two events.
“I’m thinking Wednesday and Friday are going to be record-breakers,” she said. “The weather is gorgeous.”
Wearing a buttery yellow Cheyenne, Wyoming, T-shirt, Marcie Gatton and her companion Chad Allison said they drove all the way from Missouri to take part in CFD. The two stationed themselves in front of the Kiwanis Club’s iconic red Chuckwagon to take photos and videos of the airborne pancakes.
“It’s just a lot of fun seeing them throw around the pancakes, seeing it mixed and seeing all the entertainment,” Gatton said.
Both had already finished their cakes, and agreed it was a tasty way to kick off the first full week of Frontier Days.
“He spilled syrup all over him,” Gatton said, gesturing to Allison, “but the pancakes were very good.”
The next pancake breakfasts will take place on July 26 and July 28 from 7 to 9 a.m. at the Cheyenne Depot Plaza.
