WITH A SIDE OF SYRUP

Burton’s Pancake Sunday proves to be a hit despite a gray weather during the day

“I used to come with my dad. He’s passed a few years ago. Now, I’m able to take my kid. He loves it too...”

— Burton Township resident Jason Birianno

Aromas of fresh maple syrup and coffee mingled in the air above Burton on March 10 as the Geauga County village held the first Pancake Sunday breakfast of 2019.

The recurring event, held every Sunday in March, featured several locations offering plate after plate of flapjacks for local residents as well as weekend sightseers.

Originating in 1951, the community breakfasts have grown in popularity enough for the Burton-Middlefield Rotary Club to trademark “Pancake City USA” as Burton’s official nickname. And the event this past Sunday was bringing in steady crowds throughout the day despite persistent rains and gusting winds.

The Burton Log Cabin, built in 1931, doubles as a functioning syrup house as well as a popular gift shop owned and operated by the Burton Chamber of Commerce.

Dozens filed in shoulder to shoulder to sample maple syrups and candies. Guests were also able to watch technicians boil fresh-tapped sap before rendering it into maple syrup right before their eyes.

For many, the event proved more than just a warm breakfast. Pancake Sundays serve as a cohesive identity for a small village with just over 14,000 residents and provides lasting memories, according to Burton Township resident Jason Birianno.

For Birianno’s family, the event has become a generation spanning tradition.

“I love (Pancake Sunday). I never miss them,” she said. “I used to come with my dad. He’s passed a few years ago. Now, I’m able to take my kid. He loves it too, even if he doesn’t act like it all the time.”

Since the event’s 1951 inception, Burton’s Pancake Sundays have served over 2 million pancakes paired with over 26,000 gallons of maple syrup and 1.4 million cups of fresh brewed coffee, according to the Burton Chamber of Commerce estimates.

The event is held across multiple locations throughout Burton including the Burton Log Cabin, Burton Fire Station, and the Century Village Museum every Sunday in March.

For more information, visit pancaketown-usa. com.

ADAM DODD — THE NEWS-HERALD A Burton Log Cabin clerk directs a customer toward different jars maple syrups on sale during the Geauga County village’s first Pancake Sunday of 2019.

ADAM DODD — THE NEWS-HERALD Burton’s first Pancake Sunday of 2019 was a spirited, bustling affair despite the brisk weather.