Pancake attendance booms at Plaza as Santa Fe celebrates Fourth of July
Jul. 4—"Pancake down!"
Given the circumstances, it felt like a disaster call. After waiting in a line that stretched around much of the Plaza, a young man had dropped his plate of pancakes and sausage, scattering the food across San Francisco Street.
Fortunately, a crisis was averted: Kevin Southwick, a volunteer at the event, just handed over another plate of food.
"They're just pancakes," Southwick said.
A volunteer "co-captain" at Pancakes on the Plaza, the venerated Santa Fe tradition that brings thousands to the town square for a fundraising breakfast on the Fourth of July, Southwick had been doling out flapjacks since 7 a.m.
A couple more for an unlucky customer? You bet. The more the merrier. Literally.
As memories of the coronavirus pandemic begin to fade, Santa Fe continues to reacquaint itself with old and treasured traditions: a pancake breakfast in the morning; fireworks shows at night. Such was the case Tuesday, as thousands packed downtown beneath a bright sun that seemed to reflect the mood of the day. Toward that end, Southwick and others said Pancakes on the Plaza seemed busier than in years past — even those in the pre-pandemic days.
The event, organized by the Rotary Club of Santa Fe, celebrated its 46th year in 2023. And while the old traditions remained — from pancake-makers to water-deliverers to orange juice-pourers, local volunteers are the staple of the scene — advance digital ticketing gave Pancakes a 21st century feel.
Rotarian Vic Brenneisen, who has volunteered at Pancakes on the Plaza since 1985, said he was "thrilled" by how the event turned out this year. Advanced sales, he added, boosted attendance (and consumption).
"I have always called it the best community event in Santa Fe," Brenneisen said. "There are many people I see once a year, and it's here."
The Rotary Club is celebrating its centennial in 2024. To mark the occasion, it is sponsoring about $500,000 in grants to the Santa Fe Children's Museum and YouthWorks.
The Children's Museum showed off its new Van of Enchantment, purchased with $160,000 from the Rotary Club. The van will travel around Northern New Mexico to bring youth science and humanities activities — as well as fresh produce.
On the Plaza lawn, Jim Coogan and Tim Kilkenny sat finishing off plates of pancakes with their families. The Santa Fe locals said they had been coming to the event regularly for more than 30 years, in part because it remains a familiar, familial place to be.
"People are happy, and it's always a positive atmosphere," Kilkenny said.
Coogan bounced his 7-month-old grandson Sebastian on his lap, noting "part of the fun is to wait in line for an hour for pancakes."
The good feeling extended onto Lincoln Avenue, where 112 classic cars of all kinds lined the street for the Santa Fe Vintage Car Club's annual show. The group has organized the event in tandem with Pancakes on the Plaza since 1980.
Attendees and participants donated $1 each to vote for their favorites, with that money going toward the local Boys and Girls Club and annual Shop with a Cop events with the Santa Fe Police Department.
Stephanie Hubley, of Santa Fe, said she was attending with her 7-year-old daughter, Tina, and friends to celebrate her birthday, which happens to fall on July 4.
Hubley said celebrating Independence Day feels complicated, given recent rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court that overturn precedents for LGBTQ+ protections and affirmative action, as well as last year's ruling that overruled abortion protections from Roe v. Wade.
Still, she said she is glad to see events for families in Santa Fe and was happy that friends and family were off work and could celebrate with her.
"There are some mixed emotions about celebrating the country right now," she said. "But I am trying to celebrate the promise and potential for our country ... and my daughter likes pancakes."
