Feature

Planning a Centennial Celebration: Waffle Shop Turns 100

BY ERIN BELL, WAFFLE SHOP STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER

For an event like the Waffle Shop to stand the test of time, it needs more than a good waffle recipe. Th is year, the Waffle Shop steering committee has been dually focused on the present and the past. As in any other year, we have spent time planning the menu, securing sponsors, coordinating volunteers, and collecting donations for the silent auction and holiday bake shop. However, centennial events are rare and precious opportunities. Since we celebrated No. 95, the anticipation for No. 100 has been building incrementally. The time and energy put into celebrating the legacy of Waffle Shop on such an historic occasion reflect the longstanding efforts of keeping the tradition alive.

The Waffle Shop began in 1924 when the Women of the Church, a Presbyterian women’s group, hosted the fundraiser at what was then the First Presbyterian Church. At that time the Women of the Church were fully responsible for budgeting, decorating, preparing the meals, and running the Waffle Shop. Over time, the women and other members of The Downtown Presbyterian Church have continued to host the annual Waffle Shop, traditionally on the first Thursday in December.

The plans for this year’s event have the blueprints of the past all over them. For the menu, we have added turkey hash as a side option. If there were to be a Waffle Shop cookbook, it would be incomplete without the original recipe for turkey hash. Legend tells of a time when the ladies of the church would spend several days preparing enough turkey hash to feed the Waffle Shop crowds. While the overwhelming majority of people attending Waffle Shop these days are excited for Hattie B’s Hot Chicken and Puckett’s country bacon, a few of our loyal fans will be delighted to see a turkey hash option on the menu.

Planning for 2024 also led us on a bit of a deep dive into the traditions of Waffle Shop. Over the past year, we have sorted through dozens of local newspaper articles, visited the Tennessee State Library and Archives for vintage photos, and collected various bits of memorabilia along the way. We have probed many of our church members for their favorite memories. What we have learned is that the resounding theme of Waffle Shop is community. After all, it’s an event held for the Nashville community in support of the Nashville community.

Waffle shop is Nashville’s longest-running nonprofit fundraiser. From its very fi rst year, the funds raised have been used to aid the less advantaged members of our community. The Downtown Presbyterian Church currently allocates the proceeds from Waffle Shop to its Fish & Loaves meal ministry. Each Saturday morning the church’s fellowship hall is open to anyone in need. The meal ministry currently averages 150 guests each week. Through the support of local churches and a partnership with Hands on Nashville, about 20 volunteers prepare and serve a free sit-down meal each Saturday from 8:30-10:30 a.m. Along with the meal, volunteers distribute essentials such as sample-size toiletries, socks, and underwear.

Saturday mornings also provide a wonderful opportunity to help connect our guests with Nashville’s many nonprofit organizations. By partnering with dedicated organizations who have built up expertise and effectiveness in their given field, we strive to meet our guests’ needs beyond the meal and essentials we provide. Using the funds raised from Waffle Shop, DPC provides a space where anyone in need can be welcomed, nourished, and assured they matter. If you would like to learn more about this vital ministry, email dpcbreakfast@gmail.com.

Our committee has also been thinking about the future of this endeavor: Centennial celebrations are rare at any time, possibly more so these days. Many of our planning meetings have been spent discussing ways to help our guests savor this particularly unique experience and remember it for years to come. To start, we have extended the event an hour, until 2 p.m. We want guests to take their time enjoying the waffle brunch and still experience everything we have to offer. Dr. William Taylor, DPC’s organist and Director of Music, will perform a short organ recital and lead attendees in singing a few familiar Christmas Carols. We have created a slideshow of photos from Waffle Shop through the years which will play in the chapel for the duration of the event. A limited number of commemorative prints from Hatch Show Print will be on sale in the gift shop.

We hope that this year’s Waffle Shop will be everything that it always is: a wonderful meal, an incredibly important fundraiser, a chance to get a jump start on holiday shopping and a can’t-miss opportunity to snag some of the best baked goods in Nashville. Above all though, we hope to create a truly unique event, the memories of which will linger long past Dec. 5, 2024.

The steering committee is dedicating the 2024 Waffle Shop to the members who founded The Downtown Presbyterian Church in 1955, committing to its historic preservation. We wish to extend our particular appreciation to Jimmy Cheshire and Ridley Wills for their unwavering support of and participation in the Waffle Shop for more than 50 years.

For a tradition to continue for 100 years is quite an accomplishment. Thousands of volunteers have served waffles to tens of thousands of Waffle Shop attendees over the past century. Many of whom now attend with their children and grandchildren. While we certainly hope there are more Waffle Shop fundraisers to come, we are proud of the Waffle Shop legacy as it exists today. Join us on Dec. 5 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. for a centennial celebration you won’t want to miss!

Tickets for Waffle Shop are on sale now at dpchurch.com.