National Ice Cream For Breakfast Day: where to celebrate in Central Illinois?
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — This weekend, many people across the country are keeping their boxes of cereal and pancake mixes up on the shelf to eat a sweeter, yet colder breakfast.
Saturday, Feb. 3 is National Ice Cream For Breakfast Day. Celebrated each year on the first Saturday of February, the holiday started in the mid-1960’s when a mother of six in Rochester, NY wanted a fun way to celebrate a snowy morning, according to urban legend.
The holiday isn’t just a sugary way to start a weekend; it’s an important day for some small businesses. National Ice Cream For Breakfast Day is important for ice cream stores across the country, according to frozen dessert industry officials.
“Ice Cream for Breakfast [Day], it really is the launchpad for the season,” Steve Christensen, the executive director for the North American Ice Cream Association, said in a January webinar. “It’s time to start building that loyalty.”
Several Hardee’s restaurants close across Central Illinois
In Central Illinois, all three locations of the Main Scoop in Mahomet, Monticello and Urbana will be opening early at 8 a.m. for the day. Sweet Mae’s in Clinton is also participating.
Additionally, the Champaign Park District is hosting a drop-in event where kids can make ice cream from scratch at Martens Center from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
NAICA has a goal of serving 1 million cones with participating ice cream shops.
For more information on the day, the NAICA set up a website for the day with a map of participating locations.
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