Redding, Calif.-- Kicking off Rodeo Week in Redding Monday morning is the Asphalt Cowboys Pancake Breakfast.

With about 10,000 people expected this year, it's the largest community breakfast in the country.

The annual breakfast serves thousands of visitors each year but it started out much smaller with just about 700 people back in 1954.

The cowboys used equipment borrowed from the sheriff's department, local churches and neighbors and they set up tables made from doors and saw horses..

But, as the event's grown, the cowboys began a program of buying or building their own equipment.

In fact, a lot of the grills used this year came from old Mcdonalds restaurants that sold off old equipment during upgrades.

This is just the beginning of a weekend full of events here in Redding, and the Asphalt Cowboys of course take part in the big rodeo parade Saturday morning at 10 a.m.

Pancakes are served along the "roaring Gulch" on Market street between South, Placer and Sacramento Streets.

It costs $5 and the money goes toward the Redding Rodeo Association.

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