National Ice Cream Day: Where to get the best ice cream in western Massachusetts

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Looking to beat the heat? Why not grab an ice cream cone on National Ice Cream Day on Sunday.

According to the National Day Calendar , National Ice Cream Day occurs on the third Sunday in July and offers up every flavor on the menu to honor the day.

In the Persian Empire, people used to put snow in a bowl, pour concentrated grape juice over it, and eat it as a treat thousands of years ago. Culinary folks now point to Naples, Italy as the birthplace of the first ice cream and give credit to Antonio Latini, who was born in 1642 and created a milk-based sorbet.

From small family-owned businesses to large-scale operations, western Massachusetts has a diverse range of ice cream spots that offer unique flavors and experiences. In honor of this once-a-year holiday, 22News breaks down the best and the most popular ice cream shops throughout the region, to help make that decision on where to grab a cold treat, a little bit easier this summer.

According to Yelp, these are the highest-rated ice cream shops in western Massachusetts:

• Hadley Scoop at the Silos – 102 Mill Valey Rd, Hadley
• Ice Cream Alley – 221 Main Street, Greenfield
• Mt. Tom’s Homemade Ice Cream – 34 Cottage St, Easthampton
• Mo’s Fudge Factor – 9 State St, Shelburne Falls
• The Old Creamery – 445 Berkshire Trl, Cummington
• Flavors of Cook Farm – 129 S Maple St, Hadley
• Local-Lee Scooped – 395 Laurel St, Lee
• Herrell’s Ice Cream & Bakery – 8 Old South St, Northampton
• Rice Fruit Farm – 757 Main St, Wilbraham
• JB’s Ice Cream Factory – 624 N. Main Street, East Longmeadow

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