Ithaca, N.Y. (July 10, 2007)—Thanks to irrefutably sweet

evidence discovered this winter by two local high school

students, Ithaca has won the “Sundae War," and to

celebrate, the community is invited to a free

downtown “Sundae Dinner.”


On July 18, organizers will give away approximately

3,000 “Ithaca Cherry Sundays” on the downtown Ithaca

Commons. The festivities start at 5:00 p.m. and will

continue to 8:00 p.m., or until supplies run out. In lieu

of payment, donations will be accepted to support the

United Way of Tompkins County’s Hunger and Food Security

Initiatives. The program supports food banks and hunger

organizations throughout the county.


“This is a fun way to celebrate Ithaca’s history and help

the community at the same time,” said Stacie Maybee, event

coordinator for Ithaca Forward, one of the groups

organizing Sundae Dinner. “It’s wonderful that Ithaca is

the sundae’s hometown, but it’s even more important that

we can use our history to help people in need today.”


America’s first ice cream sundae was created at Platt &

Colt’s pharmacy on East State Street in 1892 but the fact

was in dispute until Ithaca High School seniors Meredith

Buchberg and Laura Willemsen unearthed incontrovertible

evidence earlier this year. Working as Corsen Fellow

researchers at the History Center in Tompkins County, the

two discovered original letters, shop ledgers, newspaper

clippings and period advertisements confirming the

sundae’s creation in Ithaca. They also found evidence that

invalidates the competing claim made by Two Rivers, Wis.,

Ithaca’s chief rival in the sundae controversy.


Sundae Dinner will feature original Ithaca “Cherry

Sundays.” The historic treat will be recreated using

ingredients that closely match the homemade original—

premium Purity vanilla ice cream and imported Fabbri

Amarena cherries. Ice cream fans who want a modern sundae

should BYO chocolate, nuts and whipped cream.


Along with sundaes, guests will be treated to visits from

New York’s Dairy Princesses and live performances from the

legendary Keith Frank and the Soileau Zyedco Band. Direct

from southwest Louisiana, Frank’s Ithaca appearance is

part of the Ithaca Downtown Partnership’s summer-long

Downtown Concert Series. Music begins at 7:00 p.m.


“Sundae Dinner” is sponsored by the Northeast Dairy

Association, Purity Ice Cream, the Ithaca Downtown

Partnership, the Ithaca/Tompkins Convention and Visitors

Bureau and downtown merchants. The event is coordinated by

Ithaca Forward, a committee of the Tompkins County Chamber

of Commerce whose mission is to build community

connections for young professionals through innovative

opportunities and events focusing on personal development

and civic leadership.


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