10 of the Best Ice Cream Festivals Across America
It's that time of the year when the best treat to "scoop up" and beat the summer heat is America's favorite dessert—ice cream! According to the International Dairy Foods Association, each American consumes nearly 20 pounds of ice cream (or about 4 gallons) annually. Now that's a lot of ice cream! Even President Ronald Reagan officially recognized the nation's love of cool and creamy delights with the issuance of Proclamation 5219 on July 9, 1984 when he officially declared it as National Ice Cream Month and July 15 as National Ice Cream Day! In the spirit of the country's dessert, it's the perfect time to hit the road at one of these fabulous ice cream extravaganzas to sample delicious concoctions from creative ice cream sandwiches to candy-coated bars and classic soft serve cones and more. From coast to coast, discover some of the best ice cream festivals in little and big towns to enjoy the nation's beloved cold treat through the summer!
Are you also looking to make a homemade ice cream delight? Check out a few of our decadent ice cream recipes to whip up your very own batch. Rediscover an old favorite or new flavor like Easy-Freezy Vanilla Ice Cream (no ice cream maker required!), Rainbow Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches, Brown Butter Maple Nut Ice Cream, Brandied Cherry-and-Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream (FYI.....this is an adults only sweet), and even a surprisingly delish Sweet Corn Ice Cream!
Ramone's Annual Ice Cream Fest
Eau Claire, WI
July 15, 2023
This wholesome ice cream affair is full of fun for the whole family to enjoy! Make your way to downtown in this charming small Wisconsin town for old-fashioned sweets like hand-dipped cones, fresh-baked waffle cones, sundaes, shakes, malts, and more than 20 ice cream flavors with gluten free, non-dairy, nut free, no sugar added, and vegan options available. There will also be plenty of free food (like hot dogs, chips, lemonade), kid-friendly activities that include a bouncy house and games, an ice cream eating contest, music, and a silent auction that benefits local nonprofit organizations.
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Tampa Bay Ice Cream Fest
St. Petersburg, FL
July 16, 2023
Head to the Pier Plaza at The St. Pete Pier for tons of sunshine and scrumptious ice cream during this annual extravaganza! This daylong festival includes makers with sweet frozen treats like soft served cream, craft scoop ice cream, gelato, popsicles, and much more to get your sweet fix. Plus, enjoy live music and family-friendly activities too. You'll also have a chance to cast your vote for the Best Ice Cream in Tampa Bay Award.
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Atlanta Ice Cream Festival
Atlanta, GA
July 22, 2023
Do you fancy a glazed donut ice cream sandwich that's rolled in Fruity Pebble cereal? If the answer is yes, make your way to Piedmont Park for the Atlanta Ice Cream Festival to fill up on indulgent ice cream creations from local shops like Sweet Stack Creamery (the company behind handcrafted cookie and doughnut sandwiches), Glaciers Italian “Water” Ice, Cereal and Cream (a shop that creates cereal infused milkshakes), and more. Plan on spending the day to discover innovative ice creams, local food and artisans, live music, wellness engagement activities, and kids zone for the whole family.
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Ice Cream Festival on Filbert
Philadelphia, PA
July 22, 2023
America’s oldest ice cream company, Bassetts Ice Cream, will host its annual Ice Cream Festival at Philadelphia's historic public market, Reading Terminal Market. Ice cream samplings from Bassetts Ice Cream and 15 additional local ice creameries are available. The event also has an interactive Gingerbread Lane set up for Christmas in July that includes meet-and-greets with Summer Santa and a craft station for visitors to make a Gingerbread Beach House. Be sure explore the entire market for additional ice cream-themed options, games, and music from a live DJ.
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NYC Summer Ice Cream Blizzard
New York, NY
July 16, 2023
Get ready for a summertime ice cream blitz in the big city! Beat the sweltering heat and celebrate with local ice cream makers, one-of-a-kind flavors, and sweet creations like sundaes and sky-high cones at this ice cream fest. It's held at The Grand Bazaar NYC where you can also peruse unique wares from over 100 local artists, designers, craft-makers, vintage and specialty dealers, and artisanal food vendors. The bazaar's profits also benefit four local public schools that impact over 2,000 children.
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One Sweet Summer "Frozen" Ice Cream Festival
Loveland, CO
July 28, 2023
Hit the road for a unique experience at this jam-packed ice cream festival! Sample the creative offerings from several ice cream vendors with creamy soft-serve, gelato (from God Save the Cream like Dirty Oreo, Campfire Marshmallow, and Unicorn Poop), and Mexican-style paleta ice cream bars from Northern Colorado. The day includes “frozen” ice cream demos with liquid nitrogen by the UNC Physics Department, music by DJ Brian Howe, and a special evening screening of Frozen II on the Foundry lawn green.
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Taste of Summer Ice Cream Festival
Broken Arrow, OK
August 5, 2023
Load up on all the ice cream you stand at this exciting fest. The day is filled with All-You-Can-Eat Ice Cream from Blue Bell Creameries (with over 24 flavors offered), splash activities in a designated "Water Wars" park area that includes water inflatables and pre-filled water balloons, treasure dig for gold coins and fun prizes, food trucks, hands-on crafts, get active zone (with soccer drills, martial arts, and even ballet), shopping, an ice cream eating contest, and a DJ spinning tunes all afternoon.
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Ice Cream Zoofari
Pocatello, ID
August 12, 2023
Spend a summer evening savoring a diverse range of all-you-can-eat ice cream selections, light food options like hot dogs and soda pop, and fun for all ages that includes face painting, raffles, bounce houses, games, and more. You'll also have the opportunity to explore more than 30 exhibits at Zoo Idaho over 25 acres that has 98 animals like Bald Eagles, Black Bears, Bisons, and Great Horned Owls.
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Ice Cream Fest
Crystal Lake, IL
August 18, 2023
From homemade ice cream and frozen custard to dairy free scoops and ice pops, there is something for everyone at this lakeside wonderland! The day is centered around Main Beach that's transformed with vintage ice cream trucks, local art installations, and themed areas like Kong Cove, the Lagoon, and the Enchanted Forest. You'll need to keep your "Ice Cream Land" map handy to make sure you don't miss a single treat from peach cobbler ice cream and frozen custard sandwiches to shaved ice and more! Plus, check out the Ice Cream Eatin’ and Hula Hoop Contest, Scavenger Hunt, and Custard Crafts.
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Rotary Ice Cream Crawl
Lafayette, IN
August 19, 2023
This ice cream event puts a spin on the typical format. Rather going to a central location to sample a variety of treats, attendees use their "Ice Cream Passport" to visit several local ice cream shops for samplings of delicious ice cream delights while exploring the local community. Some of the event stops include Budges, Freddy's, Igloo, Original Frozen Custard, Silver Dipper, Sweet Revolution Bake Shop, and Westside Scoops. Proceeds from the crawl also benefit a park on the Wabash River Greenway Trail in the Indiana town that's home to Purdue University.
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