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When Is Pancake Day This Year?

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Here's why Shrove Tuesday is later than usual in 2025

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Your mind may be on all things Valentine’s right now, but just a few weeks away lies an arguably more important day: Pancake Day. Officially known as Shrove Tuesday, the annual celebration sees people all over the world enjoying stacks of pancakes – but where does the culinary tradition come from?

Pancake Day: Date, History & Recipes

When Is Pancake Day In 2025?

Every year, Shrove Tuesday takes place the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent in the Christian tradition. In 2025, Shrove Tuesday falls on Tuesday 4 March – which is much later than usual. Why? Because Shrove Tuesday is always observed 47 days ahead of Easter Sunday, and the date of Easter Sunday changes every year, too, and it’s particularly late in 2025.

The date of Easter Sunday is dependent on lunar cycles, and must coincide with the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon (aka the Pink Moon). The Paschal Full Moon will rise on Saturday 12 April 2025 and set the next morning, making Sunday 20 April the first Sunday without a full moon. This means Lent begins 47 days ahead of 20 April, hence Pancake Day’s March date this year.

Why Do We Celebrate Shrove Tuesday?

Shrove Tuesday has a long history, having been celebrated as far back as 1439. It is an important day on the Christian calendar, with the word ‘shrove’ coming from ‘shrive’, which means giving absolution by a priest after going to confession.

Christians believe the 40 days leading up to Easter (known as Lent) mark the time Jesus spent fasting in the desert, leading up to his death and resurrection. Traditionally, people would honour the period by giving up certain foods, such as meat, fish and milk.

This is where the pancakes came in: Shrove Tuesday became a day to eat up all the food they planned to abstain from during Lent – including eggs and butter, which were commonly used to make pancakes. According to the Encyclopedia of Traditional British Rural Sport, it was customary in some parishes ‘for the church bell to ring at noon as the signal for people to begin frying their pancakes.’ The tradition stuck, and nowadays Pancake Day is enjoyed by people all over the world, regardless of whether they observe Christianity or not.

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Is Fat Tuesday The Same Thing?

Yes, Shrove Tuesday is also known as Fat Tuesday, particularly in the United States. However, Fat Tuesday (or Mardi Gras) typically involves more raucous celebrations: street parties and parades take place across places like New Orleans and Louisiana, complete with lots of music, alcohol and colourful costumes.