The Third Annual Nancy Green Pancake Queen Spring Festival

Nancy Green “Pancake Queen” Spring Festival

Date of Event: Saturday, April 26th 

Time and Location: 10am-3pm at the Courthouse Square in Downtown Mt. Sterling, KY

Contact: Tracy Pearce- Mt. Sterling/Montgomery County Tourism mtourism@mis.net

The Third Annual Nancy Green “Pancake Queen” Spring Festival will be held on Saturday, April 26th at the Courthouse Square in Downtown Mt. Sterling, KY from 10am until 3pm. The festival will include a full day of pancakes, live music, street vendors, food trucks, raffles, a drum circle, Jr. Chef Culinary Competition and the First Responders Chili Cook Off!

The festival will kick off at 10am on the Courthouse Lawn with a welcome by local officials and a special performance by the Morehead State University Black Gospel Ensemble. Live music will be performed on the Courthouse Lawn from 10am- 3pm, hosted by local musician Barry Reed with 75 Split and sponsored by the Mt. Sterling/Montgomery County Tourism Commission. The Gateway Regional Arts Center will host a community drum circle and a performance by the Gateway Community Youth Chorus. The Arts Center on Main Street and the History Museum, next to the Courthouse, will also be open for visitors during the festival!

A pancake breakfast will be available for purchase starting at 10am as part of the fundraiser for the Nancy Green Leadership Scholarship Fund. The Nancy Green Culinary Scholarship is available to minority students from Montgomery County High School, who will attend a 2 or 4 year College or University majoring in Culinary, Communications/Media or Business. Application information is available on the website www.theNancyGreenProject.org

The public will pick the winner of The First Responders Chili Cook Off between 10:30am and Noon by sampling chili prepared by the Fire Department, Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office. Bowls of chili will be available to purchase beginning at Noon, until they run out. The winner will be announced at 1pm and receive the trophy for “Best Chili in 2025”!

The 4H Junior Culinary Competition will begin at Noon on the Courthouse Lawn hosted by Ivan Ralls and sponsored by Fritts Million Insurance and will feature three teams preparing food from Kentucky Proud products. A panel of celebrity judges will pick the winning team and they will receive $250!

The Nancy Green Project would like to thank all the generous sponsors for this year’s festival: Presenting Sponsor, Community Trust Bank, Supporting Sponsors: Traditional Bank, Mt. Sterling Kiwanis Club, People’s Exchange Bank, Fritts Million Insurance, Mt. Sterling/Montgomery County Tourism and T-shirt Sponsor, Big Ass Coffee of Hawaii. Thanks also to the In-Kind Sponsors: Kroger, MOCO Black & Hispanic Achievers, Gateway Regional Arts Center, Townsend Sorghum, Dairy Queen, Ale 8 One, Montgomery County Fiscal Court and the City of Mt. Sterling!

The festival is being held to honor the life and legacy of Nancy Green, the Original “Aunt Jemima” born into slavery on March 4th, 1834 in Montgomery County. She moved from Kentucky to Chicago with a local family to help raise their children. She was a nurse, chef, caregiver and became known in the community for her delicious pancakes.  In 1890, she was hired by R.T. Davis Milling and became known for her portrayal as the original “Aunt Jemima”.  She was the advertising world’s first living trademark and spokesperson, model, businesswoman and entrepreneur.  Nicknamed the "Pancake Queen" after selling more than 50,000 boxes of pancake mix at the 1893 World's Columbian Fair.  Green became well known for her culinary skill and ability to market her product across the country.  She was so popular, that her notoriety affected trademark laws, and in 1915 the “Aunt Jemima Doctrine” became law in this country and is a trademark law in America still today.  Nancy Green was also instrumental in the growth of Olivet Baptist Church, the oldest in the city of Chicago, Illinois, which was established in 1850.  She was a missionary, activist and philanthropist, who fought for equality.  Olivet Baptist became the largest congregation in Chicago with more than 9,000 members by 1920. Nancy Green worked tirelessly within the Bronzeville community to advocate against poverty in Chicago until her death on August 30th, 1923.  

2025 Nancy Green Pancake Queen Spring Festival Schedule:

10am- Prayer by Arthur Douhitt

Welcome by Nancy Green Project Committee and Officials

Performance by MSU Black Gospel Ensemble

10am- Pancakes for Sale and Raffle begins

10am-3pm- Pop Up Vendors are open for shopping/dining

10am-3pm- Live musical performances by 75 Split

10:30am- Noon- First Responders Chili Cook Off- Police, Fire/EMS, Sheriff

11am- Community Drum Circle

Noon- 4H Culinary Contest hosted by Ivan Ralls

1pm- Announce winner of the Chili Cook Off

2pm- Gateway Community Youth Chorus

Thank you to all the Sponsors:

Community Trust Bank- Presenting Sponsor

Traditional Bank-Supporting Sponsor

Mt. Sterling Kiwanis Club-Supporting Sponsor

People’s Exchange Bank-Supporting Sponsor

Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii- T-shirt Sponsor

Mt. Sterling/Montgomery County Tourism- Entertainment Sponsor

Fritz Million Insurance- 4H Culinary Competition prize sponsor

In Kind Sponsors: Kroger, MOCO Black & Hispanic Achievers, Gateway Regional Arts Center, Townsend Sorghum, Dairy Queen, Ale 8 One, Montgomery County Fiscal Court and City of Mt. Sterling!