National Banana Split Day
Savoring a delightful trio of creamy scoops, crowned with a medley of toppings that create a harmonious blend of flavors and textures.
Drive foot traffic and online orders to ice cream shops, dessert retailers, and food delivery platforms by celebrating the iconic American banana split with limited-time promotions and nostalgic storytelling.
- 'Build Your Perfect Banana Split' user-generated content challenge on Instagram/TikTok
- Historic origin story angle: 'From 1904 Pharmacy to Your Table—Celebrate 120 Years of Banana Split Innovation'
- Flash sale: 'Banana Split August Special—Get 20% Off Sundae Toppings'
- Partner with local ice cream shops for 'Banana Split Tasting Events' in-store
The Banana Split, surprisingly, has a very definite history, and we can pinpoint its origins to one David Evans Stickler in 1904, where he was serving as an apprentice pharmacist at Tassel Pharmacy in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Like most pharmacies of the day, it had a soda fountain attached, and it was in this pharmacy that he invented the banana split, which quickly became a hit with the students at Saint Vincent College nearby. Word of mouth made it spread like wildfire, and it soon became an American institution, before going global.
In 2004 Latrobe hosted the 100th anniversary of the invention, the same year that it was certified as the birthplace of the banana split by NICRA (National Ice Cream Retailers Association). It also became the home of the Great American Banana Split Celebration, a huge event with food and events for everyone to take part in.
Of course, like with all great inventions, there is some contention about its origins (unless you ask NICRA). Wilmington, Ohio claims that it was invented there in 1907 in response to a slump in the ice cream business thanks to the winter season.