Reading Terminal Market’s Ice Cream Festival

Save the Date: SAT. AUGUST 15, 2026 | 12pm-4pm | 12th & Filbert

Reading Terminal Market’s Ice Cream Festival | Philadelphia Summer 2026

Save the Date: SAT. AUGUST 15, 2026 | 12pm-4pm | 12th & Filbert

Our annual Ice Cream Festival is back! Reading Terminal Market’s Ice Cream Festival on Filbert is an annual, high-energy outdoor event that draws people into the heart of Center City.

A free-to-attend, pay-as-you-go, day of frozen fun featuring Bassetts Ice Cream, joined by the Philadelphia Ice Cream Community, gathered together outside our historic landmark for a family-friendly event.

Visitors are encouraged to explore the entire market for additional ice cream-themed treats, Philly favorites, entertainment, contests, kids activities, INSIDE the Market Ice Cream specials and more!

This event is rain or shine and will be under cover on the 1100 block of Filbert St. as well as through the Market.

Ice Cream Festival on Filbert

Filbert Street Ice Cream Vendors

Bassetts Ice Cream

Bassetts Ice Cream offers rich, creamy, old-fashioned ice cream made with premium ingredients in a variety of classic and unique flavors.

Cloud Cups Gelato

Cloud Cups serves handcrafted artisan gelato & sorbet with over 150 unique flavors with the perfect cloud-like texture, soft, fluffy & creamy.

Hangry Bear Creamery

Hangry Bear Creamery serves handcrafted, small-batch ice cream with bold flavors and creative mix-ins designed to satisfy serious cravings.

Irv’s Ice Cream

Irv’s Ice Cream creates unique flavors with seasonal ingredients, a touch of Latin American influence. Their menu is constantly evolving.

Milk Jawn

Milk Jawn is a Philly-based business that crafts rich, inventive & Philadelphia-style ice cream in small batches, using fresh, local PA dairy.

The Mango Hut

Handcrafted, small-batch sorbet made with nothing but REAL FRUIT – NO added sugar, sweeteners, extra ingredients! Just delicious, naturally sweet goodness in every scoop.

Tubby Robot

Serves small-batch, handcrafted ice cream made on-site, combining nostalgic flavors with a playful arcade-inspired atmosphere.

Inside the Market Ice Cream Specials

Look out for the stalls with balloons.

Bao & Bun – Boba Ice Cream
Beck’s Cajun Cafe – Banana Foster French Toast with Ice Cream
Chef Beth’s Kitchen – Affogato in a Center City Pretzel Soft Pretzel Cup | Make It Dirty Turkey Salad Savory Ice Cream Cone | Fountain Soda Ice Cream Floats
El Merkury – Horchata Ice Cream
Famous 4th Street Cookie Co. Famous Variety Pack | Build your Own Ice Cream Sandwich
Flying Monkey Bakery – Ice Cream Sundae Cupcakes | Brownie Sundae
Fox and Son Fancy Corn Dogs – Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler Funnel Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream
Hershel’s East Side Deli – Jewish Apple Cake a la Mode
Hunger Burger – Cheesecake Triple Chocolate Brownie Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich
LUHV Vegan Deli – Warm Vegan Brownie with Vegan Vanilla Ice cream
Main Squeeze – Açaí Fusion Bowl with Vanilla Ice Cream | Strawberry Shortcake Bowl with Vanilla Ice Cream
Market Bakery – Ice Cream Croissant | Ice Cream Bagel
Molly Malloy’s – Mango Apricot Prosecco Sorbet | Cookies and Cream Pop Tart
O.K Produce – Fruit Cocktail Cups
Old City Coffee – Affogatos
Pennsylvania General Store – Hank’s Ice Cream Floats | Build-Your-Own Ice Cream Sandwich | Metro Midnight Brownie Sundae
Pennsylvania Libations – Boozy Affogato
Saami Somi – Sour Cherry Labneh Ice Cream
Sparrow’s Gourmet Snacks – Ice Cream Sundae in a Bag | Gluten-Free Ice Cream Sandwiches
Sweet T’s Bakery – Apple Pie a la Mode, Sweet Potato Pie a la mode
Tambayan – Ube Ice Cream | Mango Ice Cream | Ube & Mango Ice Cream Twist
Termini Brothers Bakery – Cannoli in a Cup
The Head Nut – Schwarbomb Sundae
Wilt’s Chocolate Smothered Berries – Smothered Sundae

Entertainment

DJ Entertainment

Activities on Filbert Street

- Ice Cream Eating Contests
  - 12:30PM Contest 1 | 12:45PM Contest 2 | 1PM Contest 3
    - 1:15PM Sundae Making Championship #1
  - Ice Cream Eating Contest
    1:45PM Contest 4 | 2PM Contest 5 | 2:15PM Contest 6
    - 2:30PM Sundae Making Championship #2
  - Ice Cream Eating Contest
    3PM Contest 7 | 3:15PM Contest 8 | 3:30PM Contest 9
    - 3:45PM Sundae Making Championship #3
Meet Philbert, the Reading Terminal Market Mascot!
Balloon Twisting
Airbrush Artist: Custom RTM T-Shirts
Henna Tattoo Artist

For Kids

Ice Cream Coloring Pages for Kids
Sugar Sand Art Necklaces for Kids
Kids Face Painting
Ice Cream Truck Photo-Op

Upcoming Events

More information to come on our Upcoming Events page.

Be the first to know by signing up to our newsletter.

Ice Cream Eating Contests: The Ultimate Ice Cream Showdown – Official Guide

Welcome to the official rules and schedule for the Ultimate Ice Cream Showdown!

Event Overview

· Phase 1: The Ice Cream Eating Contest (3 Qualifying Rounds per Block)

· Phase 2: The Mystery Sundae Building Championship (3 Finalists per Block)

· Grand Prize: The Ultimate Championship Belt!

Phase 1: The Ice Cream Eating Contest

There will be 3 qualifying rounds in each tournament block. Each round selects 10 participants at random from the crowd.

How to Participate

· Be Close & Loud: Stand near the main stage when the contest is called.

· Bring the Energy: Raise your hand high and enthusiastically when the host calls for volunteers.

Round Setup & Play

1. Suit Up: The 10 selected volunteers take a seat at the table and put on a plastic bib.

2. Pick Your Flavor: Choose Vanilla or Chocolate. A single scoop is placed on a plate in front of you.

3. NO HANDS ALLOWED: Hands must remain behind your back or on the table edge. No touching the ice cream, plate, or face!

4. The Countdown: A 3-2-1 countdown signals the start. Eat your scoop as fast as possible using *only* your mouth.

5. Proof of Finish: Open your mouth wide to your assigned judge to prove you’ve swallowed every bite.

Round Prizes & Advancement

· 2nd Place Finisher: Receives a token for a Free Ice Cream at Bassetts!

· 1st Place Winner: Wins an official event T-Shirt AND advances directly to the Sundae Building Championship!

Phase 2: The Mystery Sundae Building Championship

The 3 winners from the eating rounds move on to face off in the final showdown of each block!

The Challenge & Mystery Pint Selection

· Blind Pint Selection: Contestants pick 2 unlabeled pints of ice cream.

· The Big Reveal: Once a pint is picked, no exchanges are allowed. Contestants turn their pints over to reveal the flavor names written on the bottom!

· The Mission: Construct the ultimate sundae in **3 minutes** using one or both of your assigned flavors.

· Tools & Toppings: Each contestant gets a sundae dish and an ice cream scooper, along with access to 15 different toppings.

Rules of Play

· Station Setup: Each contestant is assigned their own workstation.

· Time’s Up: At the 3-minute mark, all contestants must put their scoopers down immediately.

· Helper Delivery: One official stage helper will carefully collect and transport all 3 completed sundaes to the Judges’ Table.

Judging & Awarding the Belt

A panel of 3 Judges will evaluate each sundae based on Presentation, Taste, and Creativity.

Scoring Process

1. Evaluation: Judges inspect and sample each sundae.

2. Judges’ Commentary: Judges share live feedback with the crowd for each creation.

3. The Score Reveal: Judges hold up dry-erase boards with a score from **0.0 to 10.0**.

4. Cumulative Score: The three judges’ scores are added together (Maximum score: 30.0).

The finalist with the highest total score wins the Championship Belt!

Official Master Schedule

Tournament Block 1

12:30 PM: Ice Cream Eating — Round 1 – (1st: T-Shirt & Advances | 2nd: Bassetts Free Ice Cream Token)

12:45 PM: Ice Cream Eating — Round 2 – (1st: T-Shirt & Advances | 2nd: Bassetts Free Ice Cream Token)

1:00 PM: Ice Cream Eating — Round 3 – (1st: T-Shirt & Advances | 2nd: Bassetts Free Ice Cream Token)

1:15 PM: Sundae Building Championship #1 – (3 finalists compete for Championship Belt #1)

Tournament Block 2

1:30 PM – 1:45 PM: Stage Reset & Next Round Call-Up

1:45 PM: Ice Cream Eating — Round 1 – (1st: T-Shirt & Advances | 2nd: Bassetts Free Ice Cream Token)

2:00 PM: Ice Cream Eating — Round 2 – (1st: T-Shirt & Advances | 2nd: Bassetts Free Ice Cream Token)

2:15 PM: Ice Cream Eating — Round 3 – (1st: T-Shirt & Advances | 2nd: Bassetts Free Ice Cream Token)

2:30 PM: Sundae Building Championship #2 – (3 finalists compete for Championship Belt #2)

Tournament Block 3

2:45 PM – 3:00 PM: -Stage Reset & Next Round Call-Up

3:00 PM: Ice Cream Eating — Round 1 – (1st: T-Shirt & Advances | 2nd: Bassetts Free Ice Cream Token)

3:15 PM: Ice Cream Eating — Round 2 – (1st: T-Shirt & Advances | 2nd: Bassetts Free Ice Cream Token)

3:30 PM: Ice Cream Eating — Round 3 – (1st: T-Shirt & Advances | 2nd: Bassetts Free Ice Cream Token)

3:45 PM: Grand Sundae Building Championship #3 – (3 finalists compete for Championship Belt #3)