Celebrating National Banana Split Day

National Banana Split Day ought to be one day every ice cream and fixings lover holds in high esteem. The banana split was invented by the University of Pittsburg alumnae Evans Strickler who was a Pharmacy student that graduated in 1906. While working as an apprentice in the Latrobe drugstore, Strickler was playing around at the soda fountain when he decided to cut a banana in half lengthwise and placed it at the bottom of a ling narrow bowl, filled the bowl and then smothered it with a variety of flavors of ice cream and toppings which included: marshmallow, nuts, whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. Viola'. Strickler names his creation the banana split and he began selling these delectable creations for a whopping 10 cents a piece.

As a way to remember the banana split inventor and just a darn good reason to make and eat banana splits, National Banana Split day was founded. Although, no real banana split aficionado will wait for the recognized holiday to enjoy a banana split, having a day to celebrate the split is a great way to make a fun family event out of eating ice cream. Here are few ideas about ways to make the celebration, and eating of a banana split, even more enjoyable.

Make Invitations - Materials

1. Find pictures of bananas, ice cream, toppings, whip cream etc, in magazines and cut them out.

2. Card Stock either bought the size you wan the invitations to be or cut to size by - "little ol' you."

3. Glue

4. Pens, markers, and paints for lettering and decoration

5. Envelops

Directions

1. Design your invitations. You may want to have one whole side of the invitation be just the graphics you have cut out or you may want to have words on that side as well. Some ideas for words include: First Annual Banana Split Contest, Your Invited to Signup for the First Annual Banana Split Contest etc.

2. Cut our as many items as you can think and think of related to ice cream and banana splits from magazines, newspapers, flyers from the produce department at stores, and even from pages from the web you have downloaded and printed.

3. Glue these onto the card stock per your design and plan.

4. Include the dates, time, location, and rules for the contest. Some of your rules may be that contestants have to bring all of their banana split ingredients with them to the contest or they need to let you, the host, know what they need to ingredients can be on hand at the contest. They may need to have a recipe for their creation to share with other contestants etc. The rules are completely up to you. Make this what you want and can afford. If contestants have to bring their own ingredients, the portions of the ingredients not used in their creations can go to feed other guests or contestants ice cream.

Day of the Contest

1. It is a good idea that as host, you see to it that there are enough tools for contestants to use to make their entry. This might include: knives, banana split bowls, ice cream scoops, spoons, napkins, and drinks.

2. Give all contestants a number to wear on the back of their shirts (can be as simple as a piece of printer paper with a number made in black magic marker and either taped or pinned to their shirt, as a way to delineate their entries when judging starts.

3. When it is time for contestants to start creating, set the clock for 5 minutes. All entries must be made and ready for inspection within the timeframe. Give each of the guests and participants a list that has the name of the contestants, and their special number. Also include on the judging sheet the categories they can use to vote for entries. Some categories might be: the biggest banana split, the messiest banana split, the most colorful, the most ingredients, the smallest, the most creative, and the most ingenious etc.

4. The judging has to be quick as you know that ice cream has a very short melt time and people who love ice cream have a very short period of time that they can only look and not eat.

Celebrating National Banana Split Day can be a fun, fun, fun way for your family to enjoy one another and work together on a project. The kids will enjoy making the invitations and getting things ready, Invited family members will enjoy getting to come and show their skills but most of all, eat banana splits.