What's the origin story of Kings Island's blue ice cream? Everything to know

Haadiza Ogwude and Shauna Steigerwald, Cincinnati Enquirer
Updated ·2 min read
Kings Island's iconic blue ice cream is a blueberry-based soft serve that has been served at the amusement park for decades.
Kings Island's iconic blue ice cream is a blueberry-based soft serve that has been served at the amusement park for decades.

When discussing King Island, three topics usually arise: the 1973 "Brady Brunch" episode titled "The Cincinnati Kids," the Beast rollercoaster and blue ice cream.

Blue soft-serve ice cream has been a Kings Island staple for decades. The amusement park sells hundreds of blue ice creams daily, per our previous reporting. Whether you enjoy the blue treat in a cone, a bowl swirled with vanilla or multicolored sprinkles; we can all agree blue ice cream is a Queen City delicacy.

But where did blue ice cream come from? Take a look below, and don't forget the Mason amusement park opens for the 2023 season Saturday, April 15.

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After 41 years, blue ice cream is still one of Kings Island's most beloved treats.
After 41 years, blue ice cream is still one of Kings Island's most beloved treats.

Where did blue ice cream at King Island come from?

The blue ice cream tradition at Kings Island started with a Smurf.

In 1982, Kings Island added a new attraction, Smurf’s Enchanted Voyage, along with a new food item: blue ice cream. Forty-one years later, the blue ice cream is still one of the park's most beloved treats.

"There's blue ice cream, and everything else is below that," Don Helbig, digital marketing area manager for Kings Island, told The Enquirer in 2016. "It's the runaway leader."

During the 1992 season, Kings Island workers found out just how popular blue ice cream was after they changed the Smurf ride to Phantom Theater and replaced the park's signature soft-serve with red, cherry ice cream. Due to public outrage, blue ice cream was re-added to the menu less than two months later and has been served in the park ever since.

"We learned our lesson," Helbig said.

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What is the flavor of Kings Island's blue ice cream?

According to the Kings Island website, the soft-serve ice cream is blueberry-flavored.

Where can you find blue ice cream at Kings Island?

The frozen blue concoction is available in the amusement park's Planet Snoopy area. Blue ice cream is also sold at the Ice Scream Zone in Action Zone and Coney Potato Works in Coney Mall.

Blue ice cream-flavored popcorn and fudge are also sold at the Sweet Spot shop on the park's International Street.

Kings Island sells blue ice cream popcorn inspired by their iconic blueberry-based soft serve.
Kings Island sells blue ice cream popcorn inspired by their iconic blueberry-based soft serve.

Is blue ice cream available outside of Kings Island?

Yes. King's Island isn't the only place where you can find the blue ice cream in Greater Cincinnati. Here are a few other places to get it.

  • Whipty-Do!, 2529 W. US St. Rt. 22-3, Maineville, 513-774-0200, whipty-do.com.

  • Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine St., Avondale, 513-281-4700, cincinnatizoo.org.

  • Putz's Creamy Whip, 2673 Putz Drive, Westwood, 513-681-8668, putzscreamywhip.com

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: How did King Island's blue ice cream start? Where all is it available?