Campus Life

Creamery breaks Festival of the Arts record for bowls/cones served

150th anniversary celebration continues with a new Creamery record

Ice cream from Penn State's Berkey Creamery is an annual favorite of visitors to the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts.  The Creamery served their world-famous ice cream at a tent near Penn State's Willard Building on the University Park campus. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- In celebration of its 150th anniversary, the Penn State Berkey Creamery attempted to set a new record for cones and bowls served during the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts weekend. The official tally of 16,270 -- served July 10, 11 and 12 -- was calculated today (July 13). This surpasses the previous record by more than 1,000 cones and bowls served.

"We are delighted the record was broken," said Creamery Manager Tom Palchak. "Proceeds from Arts Festival sales are allocated to our dairy plant internships and graduate assistantships. We're very happy to see such high participation in this event, and we promise to be good stewards of these funds used in helping our students succeed at Penn State.

Attendants of the 2015 Arts Fest took time out to wish the Penn State Berkey Creamery a happy 150th birthday.  Credit: Curt Parker. 

The record-setting event was part of festivities associated with the Creamery's 150th anniversary. A limited edition ice cream passport also debuted during Arts Fest along with a new anniversary flavor. This new flavor, which sold out over Arts Fest weekend according to Assistant Manager Jim Brown, is a yellow cake batter ice cream with blue frosting swirls and frosted cookie freckles.

The Creamery is currently soliciting suggestions for a name for the new flavor at http://creamery.psu.edu/150/anniversary-flavor.

Other celebratory events throughout the year include ice cream socials organized by the College of Agricultural Sciences and the launch of a new Creamery website set to roll out sometime in August. A Creamery artifacts exhibit also debuts in August and will be on display through December in the lobby between Pattee and Paterno libraries on the University Park campus.

Established in 1865, the Creamery began as a barn on campus producing and selling dairy products such as fresh milk and cheese. It wasn’t until 1920 that ice cream was added to the menu. The Creamery moved to its current location on Curtin Road on Sept. 29, 2006. Notable visitors range from Bill Clinton to Martha Stewart and, most recently, Jeff Gordon.

Last Updated September 4, 2020

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