Reading Terminal Market's Ice Cream Festival returns to Philadelphia after 3-year hiatus

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia residents will be screaming for ice cream on Saturday when a party packed with family-friendly fun returns to Center City.

After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Reading Terminal Market's Ice Cream Festival on Filbert is back.

The city's iconic Bassetts Ice Cream is bringing in 15 other frozen treat artisans from around the city. They all specialize in ice cream, sorbet, gelato, and other icy treats.

"We've got an ice cream festival of epic proportions, bringing in the top ice cream shops from all around Philadelphia and involving merchants from all over the market," says Alex Bassett Strange of Bassett's Ice Cream.

"We are going to be doing ice cream specials, games, demonstrations, and have a huge variety of ice cream that day," added Strange. "We hope everybody comes out, the weather should be fantastic. There's nothing better than an ice cream party."

From South Philadelphia's Milk Jawn to Fishtown's Cloud Cups, to other vendors across the city, this is a free-to-attend, pay-as-you-go festival.

Bassetts' rich history runs deep in Philadelphia. In this city of "firsts," they're the kings of ice cream.

"We're the oldest ice cream company in the United States," Strange says. "This marble countertop that you'll get to see on Saturday is 130 years old. It's from when the market first opened in 1992. It dates back to 1861 and was started by my great-great-great grandfather."

Both the market and Filbert Street will be buzzing with games, music, treats, and cocktails too.

It's all happening from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

You can even visit Summer Santa and Gingerbread Lane to make a Summer Gingerbread Beach House.

Click here for details on Reading Terminal Market's Ice Cream Festival on Filbert.