Good news: an escape from the heat is on its way, this time in the form of a sprinkly celebration of creamy goodness. The 5th annual Tampa Bay Ice Cream Festival is taking over the St. Pete Pier this Sunday, July 26, from 11 am – 8 pm. This is a new date after the original date (July 19) had to be rescheduled due to weather.
In anticipation of the upcoming 727 Day, Visit St. Pete Clearwater is celebrating locals by giving away 1,000 Tampa Bay Rays tickets throughout the festival at the St Pete Pier. Stop by their booth to cash in on your tickets. First-come, first-served!
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A celebration of the best scoops around St. Pete
As with every year, the sweet sensation marks National Ice Cream Day, perfectly placed in late July to give us the beat-the-heat experience we need this time of year. Dozens of the area’s best ice cream makers will be on hand, alongside live music and family-friendly activities.
The best part: the ice cream, of course. But the second best part: the festival is free and open to the public. And to make it even easier, the festival takes place rain or shine, so you can enjoy a cool treat no matter what the wacky Florida weather decides to throw us that day.
Festival-goers will be able to enjoy ice cream and other sweet frozen treats (available for purchase; that part isn’t free, unfortunately) as more than 30 vendors will be serving their best creations from soft serve and craft scoop ice cream to gelato, popsicles, and more. The ice cream celebration takes place on the Pier Plaza, and parking is available in St. Pete Pier parking lots or downtown.
This year, the festival is bigger and better than ever with expanded competition categories, including Best Hard Ice Cream, Best Soft Serve Ice Cream, Best Non-Dairy Frozen Treat, and the coveted Best Overall Awards.
The St. Pete Pier is a gleaming public works attraction on the city’s picturesque waterfront, promising limitless fun for everyone from first-time visitors to long-time residents. Its 26 beautiful acres seamlessly combine the peaceful blue waters of Tampa Bay with the vibrant greenery of downtown St. Petersburg’s parks, creating the ultimate place to stroll, bike, dine, drink, shop, swim, take in a concert and more.
