Toms River, NJ ... There's no better time of year than summer to enjoy the sweet creaminess of ice cream and there's no better place to indulge your taste buds than at the 7th Annual New Jersey State Ice Cream Festival on Saturday, July 18.  The festival runs from 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Washington Street in Downtown Toms River and offers something for everyone, with inflatable rides, street performers, crafters, vendors, food, live entertainment and of course, ice cream tasting!

The highlight of the festival is the ice cream tasting.  Attendees can sample and vote on the ice cream entries in the People's Choice category by purchasing tasting kits.  Kits are $5 in advance or $6 the day of the event. Tasting starts at 12 noon and runs to 3:30 pm.  Visit www.icecreamfest.com<http://www.icecreamfest.com/> , or call 732-946-2711 for details or to purchase in advance.

Festival attendees will enjoy the on-stage performances by The Kootz Band; "Waitri," the cabaret singers who double as wait staff at Show Place Ice Cream Parlour in Beach Haven; and the ever-popular Yosi and The Superdads. Also making an appearance at the festival will be the New Jersey State Dairy Princess and the 2009 Miss New Jersey Junior National Sweetheart for America’s National Teenager Scholarship Organization The fun continues with ice cream eating contests for both children and adults, face painters, balloon artists, stilt walker, children's games and inflatable rides.

This year's contestants to date include both returning contenders and some parlors new to the competition.  Returning thus far are Sprinkle Shack, Bayville, which placed first in last year's People's Choice Local category; Gifford’s Ice Cream, Jackson, which took 3rd in the People's Choice National category; Mrs. Walker's of Beachwood, which placed second in People’s Choice; Friendly's Ice Cream; and Baskin Robbins, whose ice cream garnered accolades last year as a national entrant in both the People's Choice and National categories.  New contestants to date are Hoffman's Ice Cream, Pt. Pleasant; Zita's Homemade Ice Cream, New Providence; Maggie Moos, Brick; and Millstone River Creamery, Millstone.

The festival will again feature a "Special Judges" competition.  Contestants in this category will submit a gallon of vanilla to be judged solely by a special panel.  Experts consider the quality of a parlor's vanilla to be the best indicator of overall quality of their ice cream; it also allows quality, family-oriented ice cream parlors from throughout the state to be judged on an even playing field.
Held in celebration of National Ice Cream month, the event has even been honored with a Joint Legislative Resolution from New Jersey State Senator Andrew R. Ciesla and Assemblymen David W. Wolfe and James W. Holzapfel.

The New Jersey State Ice Cream Festival is sponsored by Comcast, Extra Space Storage, HealthSouth, New Jersey Natural Gas, United Water of Toms River, Mr. Alan's Florist, Shore Photography and radio stations WJRZ and The WRAT.

Upcoming Downtown events include: Cruisin’ Downtown, the second Wednesday of each month through September; the 7th Annual New Jersey State Ice Cream Festival, July 18; the 4th Annual Pizza, Pasta, Pastry, September 26; and the weekly Farmers’ Market on Wednesdays from June 10 through October 28.