Berryville's Ice Cream Social is this weekend

Carroll County News

BERRYVILLE -- New booth vendors and activity planners are gearing up for this weekend's 24th Annual Ice Cream Social in historic downtown Berryville.

Along with the two-day Social is the annual 5-K run and one mile walk, the Kiwanis fishing derby at nearby George Pond, and a 4-H breakfast in the Community Room on the Square, all scheduled for Saturday morning.

Ice Cream Social activities will feature a Fiddle Fest this year, plenty of food vendors, ice cream with choices of toppings, ICS T-shirts in "berry" colors, a car show at the nearby Tourist Information Center, and a Dogwood Canyon tram to provide free rides.

It all gets underway Friday morning with the opening of sale booths. New booths this year include those with a 28-foot kids slide, corn on the cob, barbecue, temporary tattoos, paintings, and little girls' pageant attire and accessories, plus pizza by the slice and other food selections.

Returning vendors include those selling alligator on a stick, homemade root beer, knives, sundresses, Nascar collectibles, jewelry, mosaic picture frames, license plates, flags, Kiwanis bratwurst, wind chimes, woodcrafts, and much more.

At 4 p.m. Friday, "Berry" dessert contestants are expected to arrive with their entries, to be tagged and submitted in non-return containers, for "drive-through drop-off" at one of the two locations set up by Junior Chamber of Commerce board members --at the Poynor Drug/LaCabana exit and in alleyway next to Heritage Museum (old courthouse).

Judging is set to begin at 5 p.m. Once winners are announced, entries will be sold by the piece, with ice cream, for $2 a serving.

The Fiddle Fest is scheduled to follow with prizes awarded to oldest, youngest, and furthest traveled.

A carb-packed pasta dinner at Geraldis is also set for Friday evening, open to all and geared toward early morning race contestants.

On Saturday morning at 8 a.m., those race contestants will be gathered for the start of the 5K Race and One Mile Walk with a band playing, spirit stations, and corporate and church challenges.

At the same time, the fishing derby at George Pond will get underway, as will the 4-H breakfast at the Community Room on the Square.

Saturday's Ice Cream Social entertainment begins at 11 a.m. with a performance by the Carroll County Community Orchestra, followed by an Elite Dance Studios free dance class and exhibition from noon to 1 p.m., free games for the kids from 1 to 3 p.m., and more music from 1:30 to 4 p.m. from the musical group "Rescue."

The annual Ice Cream Social is sponsored by the Berryville Chamber of Commerce. For more information, call the Chamber office at (870) 423-3704.