The 2018 Austin Ice Cream Festival is here to keep you cool this weekend! Returning for its 12th year, the festival will take place on Saturday, June 23 for a daytime family-focused festival and a trendy after party taking place at the Fiesta Gardens along Lady Bird Lake. Check out our 2017 Austin Ice Cream festival photo gallery here.
Headlining the After Dark festivities are Lee Fields & the Expressions, Tameca Jones and DJ Mel. Frozen treat vendors including boozy frozen drinks and Austin’s favorite food trucks will be there throughout the night. “What better way to celebrate summer than by enjoying some of the best ice cream in Texas,” said Leslie Sweet, H-E-B Director of Public Affairs. “H-E-B is proud to join thousands of ice cream lovers as they come together at one of Austin’s most popular festivals to sample more than 1.5 tons of frozen treats.”
The Austin Ice Cream Festival frozen treat samplers are: Amy’s Ice Creams, Bahama Freeze, Casey’s New Orleans Snowballs, GoodPop, Ice Scrapers, Moojo, Odd Pop, Shaved Ice Island, Snow Monster, Swoon by H-E-B, Thai Fresh and more!
Schedule of Events
- Family-friendly Daytime Event, 10 AM – 3 PM
The daytime event will feature free frozen treat sampling, ice cream eating contests, and fun summer activities for all ages – including rock wall climbing, inflatables, dunk tank, yard games, water gun fights, live music entertainment and more! - Contests and the “Best of ATX” Frozen Treats
The Austin Ice Cream Festival will crown the 2018 “Best Frozen Treat of Austin” among frozen treat companies participating in the event. Participating companies will submit a flavor into the contest to be judged by a panel of celebrity judges at the Austin Ice Cream Festival. Festival goers will put their taste buds to the test as they sample from each of the festival frozen treat vendors, then vote on their “Fan Favorite.” Winners of the “Fan Favorite” and “Celebrity Judged Category” will be named the “Best of ATX Frozen Treat” and receive a commemorative Austin Ice Cream Festival spoon trophy and eternal bragging rights. Attendees will go head to head fighting off brain freeze with a series of ice cream eating contests. There will be multiple divisions – the Half Gallon Challenge, Full Pint, Half-Pint for the kids and more.
After Dark – Party in the Park, 6 – 10 PM
- Starting at 6 PM at Fiesta Gardens, After Dark at Austin’s Ice Cream Festival will feature headlining musicians, more frozen treats, boozy frozen cocktails, contests, activities and Austin’s famous food trucks.
Daytime General Admission tickets are $15 with early entry ZIP tickets available for $25. After Dark General Admission tickets are $35 with ZIP tickets available for $50. Double Scoop options provide access to both events starting at $45. Information on tickets and contests can be found at www.austinicecreamfestival.com.
Featured image credit: Casey Chapman Ross/Austin Ice Cream Festival