When is Pancake Day 2026 and the forgotten tradition the day before

Pancake Day is a popular, ancient tradition that has been observed for centuries. Falling the day before Lent begins in the Christian calendar, people often try their hand at flipping pancakes and savouring their creations with a variety of different toppings.

It originated as far back as the 16th century when people celebrated before settling down to the subsequent weeks of Lent, during which often rigorous fasting rules were observed. Spanning six weeks to commemorate the 40-day fast Jesus undertook in the wilderness before beginning his ministry, people refrained from eating rich foods such as meat, eggs, cheese, and milk.

In the days before freezers, this meant people would clear the cupboards of foods which wouldn’t be permitted and would spoil long before they could be savoured again. So Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, saw people using up eggs and fats before embarking on their Lenten fast – and pancakes were ideal for this purpose.

Over the years, the tradition has continued, seeing people not only enjoying eating their creations but communities organising pancake races as part of the festivities. However, there is a lesser-known tradition which comes a day earlier.

Collop Monday – a collop is a thin slice of meat – falls two days before the start of Lent. People would use this day to use up any meats, so lean cuts such as bacon would be consumed, reports Lancs Live.

When are Collop Monday and Shrove Tuesday in 2026?

Similar to Easter, these dates vary each year because they’re determined by the cycles of the moon rather than being fixed. According to English Heritage, before the 7th century, there were two methods for calculating the date of Easter.

One approach originated from Roman missionaries, whilst the other came from the Irish (or Celtic) tradition. Although both were based on the moon, they were worked out differently, resulting in two separate dates for Easter each year.

This proved highly confusing for early Christians. In AD 664, a gathering took place at Whitby Abbey in Yorkshire between religious leaders in England, known as the Synod of Whitby.

They determined that from that point onwards, the Roman method would be adopted – and it remains the system used by the Church of England to calculate the dates for Easter and Shrove Tuesday today.

In 2026, Good Friday, marking the crucifixion of Jesus, falls on April 3. Easter Sunday, celebrating Jesus’s resurrection, is April 5 and then there is a bank holiday of Easter Monday on April 6 – although this is not a date based on Christian tradition.

Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of Lent, is on February 18. That puts pancake day on February 17, with Collop Monday on February 16.

Traditional pancake recipe

English Heritage has shared a traditional Victorian pancake recipe. This is what you need and the way to make them.

• 3 tablespoons of flour
• 142ml (a quarter pint) of milk
• 3 eggs
• Butter, for the pan

Method:

Beat the eggs thoroughly, then pour in the milk and whisk together. Gradually add the flour, one tablespoon at a time, whisking each addition well to eliminate any lumps.

Get a frying pan nice and hot over a high heat, then pop in a knob of butter. Let it melt and spread across the pan.

Pour in some of your pancake batter and gently swirl the pan to ensure an even coating. Let it sizzle for about a minute on one side, then flip it over to cook the other. Plate up your pancakes while they’re still warm with whatever toppings you want and enjoy.