A Creamsicle is a frozen confection that’s basically vanilla ice cream placed on a Popsicle stick and then coated with a sherbet-type substance. What few people realize is that this product was invented over 115 years ago by an 11-year-old who was experimenting with ice cream and fruit juice. Thanks to this innovative young man, we can all celebrate National Creamsicle Day on the 14th of August every year.

The History of The Creamsicle

Although the history of this holiday is unknown, the story of how the Creamsicle was invented is well known. It all started with the invention of the Popsicle in 1905 by an eleven-year-old named Francis William Epperson, who was mixing powdered soft drink flavoring with water as an “experiment.” He left this mixture sitting in a glass on his back porch overnight with the stick that he used to stir it still in it. During the night, the temperature dropped below freezing, and when Francis discovered it, it was frozen solid. That was the first Popsicle ever created.

Of course, at the age of eleven, he couldn’t officially invent and market his new product, so he waited until 1922 when he reached the age of 28 years old. He introduced his new creation at a fireman’s ball and then began selling them to the public at Neptune Beach in Alameda, California. Two years later, in 1924, he received a patent for his confection and he called it the Epsicle Ice Pop. Later on, at the insistence of his children, he would rename the product to Popsicle.

In 1925, Epperson would end up selling the rights to his now-famous Popsicle to the Joe Lowe Company of New York, New York. In 1989, the Popsicle brand was sold to the Good Humor Company—a company that was a part of the Unilever Co. Good Humor now holds the patents for a variety of Popsicle products, including the Creamsicle, the Fudgsicle, Yosicles, Fruit Twisters, and Revello Bars.

Fun Creamsicle Facts

Below are a few of the fun facts that we’ve learned about this fun frozen confection. The following facts should inspire everyone to take a break from the August heat and celebrate this holiday.

• Creamsicles are available in Blueberry, Orange, Blue Raspberry, Cherry, Grape, and Lime.
• There are also low-calorie Creamsicles available that only have 100 calories.
• The “Creamsicle” name has been used on a variety of products, including cakes, cupcakes, and even cocktails.
• More than 2 billion Popsicles are sold every year. We’re unsure of how many of those are Creamsicles.

Celebrating National Creamsicle Day

Anyone looking to celebrate this holiday only has to buy their favorite Creamsicle from the local grocery store. And the middle of August is probably one of the best times of the year to enjoy these frozen confections. Holiday participants can also use the hashtag #NationalCreamsicleDay on this holiday to bring the attention of this holiday to their friends, family members, and social media followers.