Ice Cream Festival 2019

Overview

I scream, you scream, we've all been screaming for ice cream — and, for once, the gods have answered our prayers (and then some). The annual Ice Cream Festival is back, from February 13–24, and this year it's taking place at three chocolateries and ice creameries across the Yarra Valley, the Great Ocean Road and the Mornington Peninsula. You may want to prepare the smelling salts because they'll be trotting out 12 new flavours a day. For 12 days. That's 144 unique flavours all up. Cue Homer-esque drooling.

For $20 you can indulge in a tasting session that covers 12 flavours at once, or just rampage around the place like a deranged, hungry Pac-Man and try to taste 'em all at $4.80 a pop. Compare the relative merits of flavours like aloe and cucumber, Champagne, Fruit Tingles and Oreo cheesecake — all while relaxing in the grounds in either Yarra Glen, Bellbrae or Flinders (or at all three). You can also go beyond ice cream, if you so please, and taste ice cream-topped pizzas, waffle ice cream sandwiches and OTT sundaes.

The view may well be lost on you as you slide into a sugar-induced happiness coma, but that's okay. They aren't inventing all those flavours for you to not try them.

You will need to book tasting sessions at the venues — check out times for the Yarra Valley, the Great Ocean Road and the Mornington Peninsula.