Bassetts Ice Cream and nine other Philly ice cream staples will join forces for a day of fun
PHILADELPHIA – One of America’s biggest ice cream festivals is back at Reading Terminal Market on Saturday, July 22. The Ice Cream Festival on Filbert will turn the 1100 block of Filbert St. into the coolest place to be from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Bassetts Ice Cream has invited nine local ice cream artisans to join in the fun alongside Reading Terminal Market merchants. The event will feature ice cream eating contests, sweet treat specials, family-friendly activities, music, and more.
Philadelphia ice cream favorites including Milk Jawn, Weckerly’s, Tubby Robot, Fiore Fine Foods, and more (full list below) will be outside on Filbert St. selling their sweet treats and hosting activities throughout the day like:
· Ice cream sandwich stacking
· Themed trivia
· Ice cream shuffle board
· Taste tests and flavor guessing
· Cornhole, and more.
“The Ice Cream Festival on Filbert is back and we are ready to welcome families, locals, and visitors for a day of fun,” said Annie Allman, CEO and General Manager, Reading Terminal Market. “This event has become a summer staple in Philadelphia and we’re looking forward to an expanded footprint on Filbert St. and creative ice cream options from local businesses and Market merchants.”
In addition to classic ice cream treats, guests will enjoy ice cream specials from various Market merchants including :
· Churros with ice cream
· Affogato
· Ice cream topped bialys
· Ube ice cream
· Lemon prosecco sorbet
· Ice cream muffins, and much more.
Free demonstrations and activities will take place throughout the day including ice cream eating contests, food demos in City Kitchen, and messy games like ice cream juggling. Filbert Street will be closed to cars and filled with a DJ, games, arts and crafts like jimmie necklaces and temporary tattoos, kids entertainment from Silly Joe, and more. As a special sneak peek for holiday fun to come at Reading Terminal Market this year, GingerBread Lane will be hosting beach house gingerbread building and Summer Santa will be paying attendees a visit.
“This is our first ice cream festival since COVID and we’re bringing in some old favorites along with new Philly ice cream comrades,” said Alex Strange, Executive Vice President, Bassetts Ice Cream Company, and 6th generation of the Bassetts family leadership. “My favorite part of this event is bringing together small business owners from around the region for everyone to enjoy. We will be getting creative with the types of treats available so there is truly something for everyone.”
Entrance to the event is free; some activities and all treats are available for purchase. Sponsors of the Ice Cream Festival on Filbert include the Philadelphia Zoo and Hoffman Exterminating.
Participating Ice Cream Artisans: Bassetts Ice Cream – ice cream Zsa’s Ice Cream – ice cream and sorbet Weckerly’s Ice Cream – mini ice cream sandwiches and mini pops Fiore Fine Foods – gelato Tubby Robot – ice cream and profiteroles Milk Jawn – ice cream Cloud Cups – gelato and sorbet flights Dreams Ice Cream – ice cream Helados Chupi Chupi – popsicles
Merchant Specials: (List Complete as of July 6)* El Merkury at the Market – churros and ice cream The Pennsylvania General Store – ice cream sandwiches and floats The Famous 4th Street Cookie Company – cookie ice cream sandwiches Sparrow’s Gourmet Snacks – popcorn and fairy floss Molly Malloy’s – lemon prosecco sorbet, affogato, cookies and cream pop tarts Beck’s Cajun Café – bread pudding with ice cream Tambayan – ube ice cream Kismet Bialys – ice cream topped bialys Millers Twist – ice cream Down Home Diner – ice cream biscuits The Head Nut – ice cream sundaes Pearl’s Oyster Bar – waffles with ice cream Market Bakery – ice cream muffins
About Reading Terminal Market
One of America’s largest and oldest public markets, the Reading Terminal Market serves as a public trust providing a venue for independent local businesses to showcase the Philadelphia region’s culinary bounty and cultural diversity. Housed since 1892 in a National Historic Landmark building, the Market offers an incredible selection of farm fresh produce, meats and poultry, plus the finest seafood, cheeses, baked goods, confections, flowers, kitchenware, cookbooks, jewelry and crafts. The Market is managed by a not-for-profit management company as a tenant of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority, which has owned the historic Reading Terminal since 1990. In 2014, the American Planning Association named Reading Terminal Market as one of the 10 Great Public Spaces i