Philadelphia welcomes 1st Ice Cream Festival on Filbert in 3 years
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's going to be a day of family-friendly frozen fun! And what better way to enjoy the nice weather we're having than with a frozen treat?
The first Ice Cream Festival on Filbert Street in three years is happening Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 12th and Filbert Streets. Thousands of people crowded into this underpass for a taste of something sweet.
"I came down here to see the sightseeing and you know, it's a beautiful day," Annette Cannon said. "Nice day, isn't too hot, sticky."
Cannon says she can't eat any ice cream because she's diabetic, so she got four ice cream tattoos instead.
The festival, back for the first time since the pandemic, fell on a day when there was no heat wave, no air quality alert, no humidity, and no storms.
"We all deserve this. You gotta thank God for this weather," Cannon said.
Organizers say they've been planning this festival since December. They had no idea the weather would be perfect.
If you're an ice cream enthusiast, there will be plenty of special creations for you to check out, including creations from Reading Terminal Market vendors.
The Market Bakery is offering ice cream muffins and Bassetts is offering Bananas Foster. You can also snag an ice cream Pop Tart, churros, apple and peach cobbler and more.
A full list of vendors and activities is available on the market's website.
"We really lucked out," Alex Bassett Strange, Executive VP of Bassetts Ice Cream, said. "It has been so hot lately and for today to cool off like it has, but still have nice weather, we're been so fortunate."
Bassetts Ice Cream hosted the family-friendly event outside Reading Terminal Market. Bassetts is actually 43 years older than the invention of the ice cream cone.
Nine other ice cream shops joined the celebration.
As the sun shined outside, people stood in long lines in the shade to get their hands on an icy treat.
"This ice cream cone was invented in 1904," said Strange.
The sixth-generation company was started by his great-great-great grandfather in 1861 and has been in Reading Terminal Market since it opened in 1893, Strange said.
"I love things like this going in Philadelphia," Whitney Harris said. "I remember growing up there was always something going on in the city, Penn's Landing. Now that it's post-pandemic, I want to make sure my kids can come out and enjoy events like this."
People say they're looking forward to another gorgeous day on Sunday.
