By someone who’s definitely not lactose intolerant but would risk it anyway
Don’t ask me how I know, but July 25th is National Ice Cream Sundae Day, which means it’s the one day a year when it’s socially acceptable to have your entire daily calorie intake served in a bowl, covered in chocolate syrup and topped with a maraschino cherry that’s 99% sugar and 1% fruit.
The History of the Sundae, with a Side of Tea…
Legend has it that the ice cream sundae was born in the late 1800s because someone decided a scoop of plain old vanilla ice cream was just too boring. Enter the idea of throwing hot fudge, crushed nuts, whipped cream, and a cherry on top — because that’s what innovation looks like in dessert form.
Another theory says that in some towns, “soda” was banned on Sundays (clutch your pearls here!), so soda jerks got clever and replaced fizzy drinks with syrup over ice cream instead. Boom: the “Sunday” became the “sundae.” Spelling changed, calories increased, everyone won.
How to Celebrate Like a Champion
Build Your Dream Sundae:
Start with ice cream—any flavor. Go traditional with vanilla or opt for a chaotic neutral flavor with peanut butter-bacon swirl. Add toppings until the laws of physics beg for mercy. Hot fudge, caramel, sprinkles, crushed cookies, brownie chunks, or my personal favorite, peanut butter sauce — you do you.
Host a Sundae Bar:
Invite friends over and lay out a buffet of toppings. Just don’t judge Karen when she builds a sundae that looks like it has structural engineering support beams.
Eat One for Every Mood:
Sad? Sundae. Happy? Sundae. Existential crisis at 2 a.m.? Sundae. They’re basically edible therapy.
A Few Pro Tips from a Seasoned Sundae Enthusiast:
Layer your toppings. Don’t just pile everything on top — bury some fudge in the middle for a “surprise gooey core.”
Don’t skip the cherry. It may be decorative nonsense, but it’s nostalgic decorative nonsense. If you’re feelin’ fancy, and you have some extra cash, invest in Luxardo Maraschino Cherries, because sometimes we like to be classy.
Sundaes for dinner? Technically not recommended, but emotionally? Absolutely.
Best Places to Find a Sundae:
We are fortunate that our area boasts some of the best local restaurants a small town can offer. However, we are extremely lucky to have several places that will have you covered for National Ice Cream Sundae Day. Be sure to visit one (or more if you are feeling brave) of these local establishments to cure that ice cream craving.
– Batter Up Bakery Sweets & Scoops, 2098 Lycoming Creek Rd., Williamsport (Batter Up just recently opened and is quickly becoming a personal favorite.)
– The Potting Bench, 324 Matthews Blvd., South Williamsport
– Bruster’s, 1600 E 3rd St., Williamsport
– Eder’s Ice Cream, 2242 PA-87, Montoursville
– May’s Drive-In, 1920 PA-405, Muncy
– Weaver’s Ice Cream, 16635 US-15, Allenwood
– Sprinkled Sweet, 349 Pine St., Suite 4, Williamsport
– Carriage House Creamery, 2211 Rt. 654 Hwy, Williamsport
– Nittany Valley Creamery, 5561 Jacksonville Rd., Howard
– Faddies Ice Cream, 348 Broad St., Montoursville
– Waltz Creamery & Farm House Café, 324 Main St., Salladasburg
Be sure to check websites and social media for hours for each location! And, of course, these are just a few options. I’m sure there are more, but I only have so much space, so please don’t come for me if I missed your favorite!
Final Thoughts (Before the Sugar Crash Sets In)
Ice cream sundaes are proof that sometimes, more is more. On National Ice Cream Sundae Day, throw caution (and maybe your waistband) to the wind and celebrate with wild abandon. We only have so many days of summer. Don’t waste it worrying about empty calories or that pesky lactose intolerance. Pile it high. Eat it fast. Regret nothing.
Happy Sundae, y’all!
