Emilia Sixtensson is a Swedish-born event planner and entrepreneur, living and working in New York City. The Ice Cream Run is one of her many yearly theme events. For more information visit www.eventbye.com

The story behind the Ice Cream Run

My name is Emilia and I'm an Ice Cream-fanatic.
 
There is never a bad time and no occasion too insignificant to be celebrated with a scoop (or several) of good Ice Cream, Gelato or Sorbet.



One particularly hot summer a few years ago, I came across an article in Metro NY about New York City's most popular ice cream parlors. Many of them were places I knew well, but several I had not heard of before. 

I felt a need to visit these unexplored shops and decide for myself if their ice cream was indeed the best in the city.

On a Sunday afternoon a few weeks later I invited a group of friends along for a walking-tour across lower Manhattan. 
The aim was to visit 6 parlors between West Village and Brooklyn Heights and try out as many flavors as possible.
 
We started around 2pm at Mary's Dairy on Bleeker Street with a small but enthusiastic group of people. As we moved on to Cones, Australian Homemade and Ciao Bella more people joined our mission.



After a stop at the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory we finally trooped across the Brooklyn Bridge to our final destination, the popular, waterfront parlor, Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory. 

After our last Sundae of the day, we rested our feet and stomachs on the lawn of the waterfront park as the sun set over Manhattan. It had been a blissful and exhausting afternoon and I had added several favorite flavors to my list.

As June of the following year rolled around, I was already planning for the next Ice Cream Run. This time I wanted to get more people involved and add a fun twist in the shape of a scavenger hunt.

It felt natural that the event should also raise funds for a good cause. A friend recommended a few charities and I selected Children for Children, whose message of aiding underprivileged children in New York City hit close to my heart. 



With the help of all the wonderful Children for Children staff and a dedicated group of volunteers, we made the Ice Cream Run 2007 bigger and more successful than I could even have dreamed of.

This year we have taken the event even farther and expect an amazing turn-out with lots of support. Something that started as a casual walk with friends has taken on a life of its own and will only get bigger for years to come.

TTFN

Emilia