It’s almost here! Le Mars Iowa hosts it’s annual Ice Cream Days festival. Executive Director, Kristen Heimgartner explains the history of the special event, how you can get free ice cream, why their town is growing, and how their biggest employer, Wells, sources dairy from Iowa farms.
Le Mars, Iowa, holds the formal designation of “Ice Cream Capital of the World,” a title rooted in its unique identity as the home of Wells Blue Bunny ice cream. Beyond just production, the town hosts the only Wells Ice Cream Parlor in existence, which serves as both an active ice cream parlor with over 30 flavors and a museum dedicated to the brand’s history. Kristen Heimgartner, executive director of the Hometown Le Mars Heritage Foundation, explains that embracing this identity has been central to the town’s tourism and growth strategy, noting, “We need to really embrace tourism as part of that growth plan and getting people to town and experiencing our ice cream and all our great attractions”.
To celebrate this heritage, the town holds an annual four-day festival called Ice Cream Days, scheduled this year for June 17th to 20th. The event attracts thousands of visitors from across the region to enjoy activities including a classic car show, live music, bike rides, and parades. According to Heimgartner, the Wells team hands out approximately 8,000 novelty ice cream pieces during the festival. Describing the community atmosphere, Heimgartner says, “I feel like growing up in a small town, it was easy to walk places and you would just know people”.
Iowa stories for your inbox
Justin, David, & Kaylee cover Iowa news, agriculture, business and tech. No clickbait. No rage. No agenda. Support our vision and subscribe!
Community Growth and Future Outlook
Beyond the festival, Le Mars is experiencing an aggressive growth trajectory, with population growth outpacing the state average. This development is supported by significant local employers like Wells, which contributes to the regional economy by sourcing most of its dairy from a 75-mile radius. Regarding the town’s appeal and safe environment, Heimgartner notes, “I love to walk around Le Mars and I just feel safe”. Visitors looking to experience the town can find further information and event itineraries at icecreamdays.com.