BLIZZARD BOWL AMPHITHEATRE — If there’s one thing the North Pole knows how to do in July, it’s combine frosty temperatures with fiery creativity—and nowhere was that more evident than at this year’s “Snowmerican” Ice Cream Churn-Off, a beloved Christmas in July tradition.
Held in the heart of the Blizzard Bowl Amphitheatre, this year’s event transformed the snowy stadium into a dazzling ice cream carnival, complete with frosted bunting, peppermint parasols, and a frozen runway lined with waffle cone crumbs.
🍨 A Scoop of Competition
From 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, churning teams from every corner of the Pole took to their frosty mixing stations, whipping up frozen creations in a flurry of candy sparkles, misty fog, and magical mix-ins. Contestants were judged in three main categories:
- Coolest Concept – For originality, innovation, and style
- Most Magical Mix-In – For enchanted ingredients that wow
- Best Brain Freeze – For the flavor that packs the iciest punch
This year’s winning scoop in “Coolest Concept” went to Aurora Ripple Delight, a glittering lavender-mint blend that changed flavor every time you blinked. Meanwhile, “Most Magical Mix-In” was awarded to Caramel Stardust Swirl, which included tiny sugar meteors that popped softly on the tongue.
🎶 Live Music & Lickable Memories
Adding extra cheer was the Reindeer Scoops Band, who played a toe-tapping set of snowgrass favorites while elves danced between tasting booths and frosted sprinkle stations. Their hit “One More Scoop (Won’t Melt My Heart)” had the whole amphitheatre singing along.
✨ Crowd Favorites & Fan Vote Frenzy
Spectators were treated to generous sample spoons and the power of the Fan Favorite Vote. Long lines wrapped around the Candy Cane Comet Crunch booth, a returning champion featuring peppermint bark chunks and sugar comet tails. Equally popular was the nostalgic Fudge Ribbon Ripple, which had children and grown elves alike chasing chocolate swirls through melting scoops.
In a surprise twist, the Fan Favorite crown went to a new entry: Bubblegum Blizzard Blizzard, submitted by a trio of junior elf interns. Not only did the scoop smell like holiday bubblewrap, it also popped and sparkled on contact with snow.
💬 A Sweet Success
“This is more than ice cream,” said Head Judge and longtime flavor alchemist, Sorbetta Coldwhip. “It’s edible joy. It’s the spirit of North Pole magic made scoopable.”
With sugar highs stretching into the evening and sticky mittens all around, the Churn-Off ended with a snowy confetti blast and a toast (of frozen nog) to summer sweetness done right.
Stay tuned to the Sugar & Spice section for full recipes, exclusive elf interviews, and Pip’s Picks for best toppings of the season!
