I scream, you scream: Celebrating Bassetts Ice Cream’s 150 years in Philadelphia

“150 years!” Roger Bassett of Bassetts Ice Cream shouted from behind a table in a tightly packed space of Reading Terminal Market.  Bassett didn’t have much room to move around, but it didn’t matter – for him, the slow walking crowd at the market Saturday was a much welcomed site.

It’s not often a person finds it healthy or even socially acceptable to consume ice cream as early as 10 a.m. on a Saturday.  But then again, it’s also not often one gets to celebrate a 150-year birthday for one of the world’s most favorite treats.

Roger Bassett, and several others, ventured into Reading Terminal Market Saturday to celebrate the ice cream maker’s 150th birthday, all part of The Ultimate Philadelphia Ice Cream Festival.

Some of the city’s most popular local vendors, alongside Bassetts, were invited to participate in the festival.  For many, the event offered a critical opportunity to get noticed and attract new customers.

Many vendors, such as Miller’s Twist, took great pride in showcasing their products. Customers in line didn’t seem to mind having to wait a little longer as employees worked to pour fresh waffle cone batter onto a hot griddle.

Employees at Franklin Fountain stood behind an old-fashioned ice cream cart, complete with old time soda shop uniforms.

“It seemed like a great way to start the day,” Susan Koehn said after she bought her son, Aiden, a large bowl of vanilla ice cream.  Koehn and her family are visiting Philadelphia from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The annual event ran from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and prided itself on featuring the best local ice cream makers.