MARATHON, NY (607NewsNow) — CNY’s Maple Festival returns for a 54th year this April, kicking off with a pancake eating contest at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 18th.

The contest includes giving contestants 15 minutes to eat as many pancakes as they can. 7-time winner Patrick Rand, a teaching assistant in the Heavy Equipment Program at TST BOCES, is looking to raise money for the program by eating as many pancakes as possible. The Maple Festival will donate $2 for every pancake he eats, though anyone can mail in donations to 555 Warren Road, Ithaca, NY via check.

Looking to help students go to vocational competitions, help out with costs of the program, provide students with a heavy jacket or sweatshirts to keep warm while working in inclement weather, and fund team building activities, Rand discussed his pancake-eating strategies with Justin Bertolero:

Find more information about what to expect at the Maple Festival here.