Leadenhall Market’s 'flipping fabulous' pancake race returns for 2026 - full timings
The Lamb Tavern’s annual pancake race through Leadenhall Market, is one of London’s quirkiest traditions.
If there’s one thing London loves more than tradition, it’s tradition with a side of chaos, and few events serve it up quite like Leadenhall Market’s annual pancake race.
The Lamb Tavern's annual Pancake Day Race, taking place in Leadenhall Market's iconic atrium on Tuesday 17 February 2026 from 11am, with races beginning at 12.30pm.
Each year, as Shrove Tuesday rolls around, the City’s most polished professionals trade spreadsheets for spatulas, racing through the cobbled Victorian market while flipping pancakes mid-sprint. Suits are ditched, costumes appear, and dignity is very much optional.
Set beneath Leadenhall’s soaring glass roof, a backdrop so cinematic it has starred in everything from Harry Potter to Instagram grids everywhere, the race is a joyful collision of history and hilarity. There are spills. There are cheers. There is always at least one pancake sacrificed to the cobblestones.
The rules are simple: run fast, flip often, and try not to drop your pancake before crossing the finish line. The atmosphere? Think sports day energy meets pub-lunch bravado, with onlookers packed in to watch the madness unfold.
It’s wonderfully daft, deeply London, and proof that even in the heart of the Square Mile, there’s always room for a bit of batter-fuelled fun. Honestly? It’s flipping iconic.