Bessie's Parlor plans pop-up ice cream store during Downtown Music Walk Thursday

Nearly 40 businesses will participate in the annual Music Walk from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday in downtown Ames.

“It’s always exciting for us to get people visiting our businesses in a different capacity,” said Sarah Dvorsky, executive director of Ames Main Street. “It’s an opportunity for us to showcase the arts and entertainment in our district, and it’s also an opportunity for people to check out a downtown business they’ve never been in.”

One special addition to this year’s Music Walk is Bessie’s Parlor, which will host an ice cream social at the Elks Club to raise funds for The Bridge Home. Music will be provided by the Ames-based string band Alleygrass.

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The Bridge Home is an Ames-based organization that is “devoted to bridging the gap between homelessness and housing by providing shelter, support, and inspiring a pathway forward to individuals and families experiencing or on the verge of homelessness,” according to its website.

Rebecca Runyon, the owner of Bessie’s Parlor, uses her delicious ice cream to raise money and awareness for social justice issues.

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On Thursday, the ice cream flavors are inspired by The Bridge Home. Social Justice Salted Caramel is a vanilla ice cream with swirls of caramel, topped with sea salt. The Bridge Home Cherry Truffle is cherry ice cream with chocolate chips. And Jammin’ Java is chocolate ice cream, topped with chocolate-covered espresso beans.

Rather than charge for the ice cream, Runyon will accept donations to The Bridge Home in whatever amount the customer chooses.

“Eat ice cream. Change the world,” is her business motto.

“Your actions in everyday moments between each social are what matter most. Though ice cream can solve a lot of problems, it's the love that you show to the people you encounter that is most important in achieving social justice,” Runyon wrote on her website.

Ames Main Street has several new businesses that have opened in the past year or so and are participating in the Music Walk for their first or second time, Dvorsky said.

“Even since the pandemic hit, we’ve had so many businesses open, it’s a really cool opportunity to see a new business and have a new experience in downtown Ames,” she said.

Among the newer businesses are Marmalade Moon, Dog-Eared Books, Life Distilled, True Path Reiki & Apothecary, Lott Music Studio, Sweet Caroline’s Kitchen & Cocktails and the Knittery Nook.

“We always plan on having as many people in our downtown as possible,” Dvorsky said of the free, family-friendly event. “We love to see people downtown, and Music Walk is a way for us to get to experience downtown in a different light.”

Part of Ames Main Street’s mission is to provide arts and culture in the community, and “we love to provide as much of that as possible,” Dvorsky said.

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Businesses and musicians participating in the Music Walk

• The Angry Irishmen, 119 Main St. – Vee Ellsbury

• Oak Lane Candle Co., 121 Main St. – Lydia Richards

• Great Plains Sauce & Dough Co., 129 Main St. – Jake Pelton

• Avec Design Build, 131 Main St. – Foxpin

• Whiskey River, 134 Main St., -- Ryan Sheeler

• Little Woods Herbs & Teas, 136 Main St. – Elizabeth Zimmerman

• Dog-Eared Books, 203 Main St. – Ben Schrag

• Marmalade Moon, 207 Main St. – Dave Swenson

• Heroic Hair, 209 Main St. – Ace Schmidt

• London Underground, 212 Main St. – Bleujack

• Emerhoff’s Footwear, 215 Main St. – Larry “Red” Stoltenberg

• Knittery Nook, 219 Main St. – Indigo Monks

• Worldly Goods, 223 Main St. – Tom Russell

• Chocolaterie Stam, 230 Main St. – Emily Hilleman

• Duck Worth Wearing, 232 Main St. – Rick Exner

• The Loft, 233 Main St. – Gabryelle M. Watkins

• Gilger Designs, 236 Main St. – The Stewardesses

• Life Distilled, 301 Main St., Suite 105 – Barbara Evenson

• Brown’s Shoe Fit, 306 Main St. – Jon Buss

• Skunk River Cycles, 308 Main St. – Mother of Exiles

• Nook & Nest, 309 Main St. – David Harper Quartet

• Sweet Caroline’s, 316 Main St. – Perfect Strangers

• Photosynthesis, 317 Main St. – Casey DeAngelo

• Tres Teal, 319 Main St. – Steve Veysey

• Della Viti, 323 Main St. – Tyler Miller

• American Country Home Store, 324 Main St., Suite 2 – Taeya Papilion with Keith McCaulley

• True Path Reiki & Apothecary, 328 Main St., Suite 115 – Matt Dake

• Melissa Stenstrom Fine Jewelry, 507 Main St., Suite 1 – Liz Morse

• Lott Music Studio, 401 Clark Ave., Suite 220 – Aaron Lott

• Ames History Museum, 416 Douglas Ave. – Onion Creek Band

• Octagon Center for the Arts, 427 Douglas Ave. – Britches & Hose

• Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Ave. – Irmi’s Recorder Studio Ensemble

• Ames Elks Lodge and Bessie’s Parlor Ames Music Mission, 522 Douglas Ave. – Alleygrass

• KHOI Community Radio, 622 Douglas Ave. – Paul Hertz

• Vinyl Grind, 303 Kellogg Ave. – Collin Dettmann

• The Ames Foundation, Tom Evans Park at the corner of Main and Burnett – Quinton Nespor

• Great Harvest Bakery and Cafe, 502 Burnett Ave. – We’re No Angels

• Torrent Brewing Company, 504 Burnett Ave. – Blue Shadows

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Nearly 40 Main Street businesses, musicians participate in Music Walk