Annual Ice Cream Social at Ephrata Cloister
Historic Ephrata Cloister, where Ephrata began, will open its grounds to the community on Sunday, August 18, from 1 to 4 p.m. for their summer Ice Cream Social. This fund-raising event, a project of the Ephrata Cloister Associates in partnership with the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission, will feature ice cream and brownie sundaes, scooped by Celebrity Dippers, including WIOV morning radio host Casey Allyn, Ephrata mayor Ralph Mowen, Akron mayor John McBeth, Ephrata Police Chief Chris McKim, and Blue Ridge’s Cindy Mellinger. Blue Ridge sponsors the event. The New Cloister Restaurant will provide the ice cream.
Tickets are $10 for the general public and include ice cream, brownie sundaes, and admission to the property, but tickets for members of the Ephrata Cloister Associates are just $5. Children under 5 are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased in the Visitor Center the day of the event.
Guides in historic costumes will be stationed in the buildings to greet visitors and interpret the history of the 18th-century structures. A local favorite, The All Weather Band, will perform from 1:00 to 4:00 under the tent by the Visitor Center. All Weather Band plays American music, blending blues, roots, country, R&B, and more to create a dynamic “Americana” sound unique to Central Pennsylvania.
Visitors are encouraged to stroll the grounds of the Cloister, pet the KPETS therapy dogs, and watch Woven Together and Friends in action. Information about the project to rebuild the amphitheater on the grounds will be available, and visitors can watch the video narrated by movie, TV, and Broadway star and 2024 Tony Award winner, Jonathan Groff. Visitors will also be able to try their hand at the art of colonial printing on the reproduction printing press.
The early community of Ephrata was known for its charity, an outreach that continues today, nearly 300 years after the founding of the town. Learn more about charity in Ephrata today and visit with local non-profits to see how they carry on the tradition of kindness and generosity, community building, and literacy today.
The Museum Store, featuring candles, cards, books of historical interest, and the work of local craftspeople, will be open for browsing and purchases at special discounts. Featured items include Cloister-branded products, such as tee shirts, hats, and tote bags.
Proceeds from the day will support educational programming at Historic Ephrata Cloister, including the Student Historians and Community Days for local elementary students. The event will be held rain or shine. Please visit the Ephrata Cloister website www.ephratacloister.org for updates and information or call the Visitor Center at 717-733-6600.
Historic Ephrata Cloister is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission with support from the Ephrata Cloister Associates.