After a successful inaugural year, YYC Summer Scoop Fest is back and better than ever with its food festival focused around a popular summer treat: ice cream.
Running from June 30 to July 7, the festival invites anyone with a sweet tooth to try featured ice creams at 17 participating cafés and ice cream shops. Each time the featured flavour is sold, $1 to $3 will go towards supporting Calgary Meals on Wheels. Once you’ve tried a few, be sure to rate the ice creams online, as the eateries will be battling it out for three titles: YYC’s Best Scoop, the Golden Scoop Award and Best Non-Dairy Scoop.
Here’s a look at the participating ice cream vendors
Abbey’s Creations
Featured ice cream: Mango Saffron Cheesecake (cheesecake, mango, saffron and honey cookie crunch).
Multiple locations, abbeys.net
Amaido Cafe
Featured ice cream: Strawberry Fog (strawberries, Earl Grey tea and a toasted strawberry and London Fog marshmallow).
202D Centre St. S.E., 825-561-8597, amaidocafe.com
Amato Gelato
Featured ice cream: Gelato Bomboloni Panino (your choice of sorbetto or gelato flavour inside an Italian pastry cream or chocolate/hazelnut bomboloni.)
2104 Kensington Rd. N.W., 403-270-9733; 602 17 Ave. S.W., 587-231-6603, amatogelatoalberta.com
Apprentice Cafe
Featured ice cream: Strawberry Fields Forever! (Strawberries, shortcake and balsamic vinegar.)
1024 Bellevue Ave. S.E., 778-513-7200, @apprenticecafe
The Bullet Coffee House
Featured ice cream: Espresso Flake Affogato Sundae (espresso flake-flavoured ice cream, two shots of espresso, whipped cream, chocolate flakes, a maraschino cherry and a chocolate-covered ladyfinger cookie).
2, 728 Northmount Dr. N.W., 587-349-3979, thebulletcoffeehouse.com
Cafe Jindo
Featured ice cream: Buko Pandan Amaretto Ice Cream Sundae (buko pandan amaretto ice cream, whipped cream, coconut flakes, an amaretti cookie and a maraschino cherry).
Unit F7, 8330 Macleod Tr., 587-353-4728, cafejindo.ca
D’Served Ice Cream Sandwiches
Featured ice cream: Smoked Bacon & Caramel Ice Cream Sandwich (D’served cinnamon cookies with caramel and praline swirled ice cream with pecans and bacon).
Multiple locations, dserved.ca
Foothills Creamery at the Farmers’ Market
Featured ice cream: Haskap Prairie Berry (vanilla ice cream and haskap berries).
Calgary Farmers’ Market South, 510 77 Ave. S.E., 403-240-9113, foothillscreamery.com
Heritage Park
Featured ice cream: Firebox (wild cherry ice cream, chipotle chili powder seasoning, Carolina Reaper hot sauce).
1900 Heritage Dr. S.W., 403-268-8500, heritagepark.ca
Holy Cow at Alforno
Featured ice cream: Sugar & Spice Mini Cone (gelato with cinnamon and brown sugar swirls in a chocolate-dipped cone).
Multiple locations, alforno.ca
Lics Ice Cream Shop
Featured ice cream: Caramel Mini Donut Ice Cream Swirl (caramel ice cream, mini doughnuts and caramel sauce).
3410 3 Ave. N.W., 403-283-3578, lics.ca
Love at First Scoop
Featured ice cream: Tropical Habanero Sundae (pineapple sherbet, mango and coconut ice creams, pineapple habanero hot sauce, whipped cream and a heart cookie).
Calgary Farmers’ Market West, 25 Greenbriar Dr. N.W., 587-897-5237; 180, 151 Carrington Plaza N.W., 403-250-5237, loveatfirstscoop.com
Master Chocolat
Featured ice cream: The “Dame Blanche” (vanilla bean gelato with whipped cream and chocolate sauce).
130, 560 69 Ave. S.W., 403-252-5750; 2403 33 Ave. S.W., 403-453-5750, masterchocolat.com
Milk
Featured ice cream: Milk & Cereal (corn flakes-infused ice cream with Fruit Loops).
110, 1000 Centre St. N., milkicecreamclub.ca
Noto Gelato
Featured ice cream: Dolce e Salato (salted caramel and peanut butter).
236 4 St. N.E., 403-891-4113, notogelato.ca
Popping Dragon Tea House
Featured ice cream: Cardiac Arrest (sea salted vanilla soft serve, kettle corn, pretzels, white chocolate, butterscotch chocolate chips, Ritz crackers, toffee bits and sweetened condensed milk).
7711 Flint Rd., 587-327-9608, poppingdragon.ca
Righteous Gelato
Featured ice cream: Lemon Curd & Honey Cheesecake (cheesecake base with lemon curd, spiced graham cracker crumble and honey).
110, 221 19 St. S.E., 403-452-3150, righteousgelato.com