Austin Ice Cream Festival
Austin, Texas

When: early August [click for this year's dates]

Where: Waterloo Park at 403 E. 15th Street in Austin,Texas

"I doubt whether the world holds for any one a more soul-stirring surprise than the first time adventure with ice cream."-- American journalist Heywood Broun

Summer may soon come to a close, but the folks who attend Austin's annual ice cream festival will find that they have made memories that will never melt away.

Contests

* Observers can stand around and savor scoops of the sweet treat as they cheer on contestants trying to lick the competition in an ice cream-eating contest. A bucket of Blue Bell stands between participants (who must be at least 18 years old) and the coveted silver spoon award, which was presented to the festival's first winner after six minutes, 30 seconds of devouring the delicious dairy product.

* While Blue Bell may own bragging rights for making the best ice cream in the country, participants in the homemade ice cream-making contest will ply their confectionery skills to produce the tastiest treat at the festival. All entries must be prepared on site and participants will need to show a sales receipt for all ingredients used.

* When you were a child, a dab of Elmer's glue and a little imagination was all it took to transform a bundle of popsicle sticks into a log cabin or airplane. Let your inner kid come out to play once again during the popsicle stick sculptor contest, a free competition open to all ages. Entries can be made at home prior to the festival or on site.

* "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!" is the anthem as participants of all ages storm the stage to shriek for supremacy in a screaming contest.

Video Resource

In the following clip, Danger Films samples the fun found at the first Austin Ice Cream Festival:

For more information

• visit www.icecreamfestival.org