Record heat has people screaming for ice cream

On a scorching Saturday afternoon, nothing sounded better to thousands of festival goers than a cool ice cream cone.

And ice cream was aplenty last weekend, as the much anticipated Rockwood Ice Cream Festival returned after a five-year hiatus. New Castle County’s partnership with businessman Barry Scheckler brought back one of the community’s favorite local festivals.

The County rented the park for $1 to Schlecker, organizer of the Brandywine Festival of the Arts and the Newark Film Festival. The county provided limited police services and electricity for $5,000, and in turn received 5 percent of revenue received from admissions, and a percent of gross revenues.

The 28-year ice cream tradition ended five years ago because of funding issues. Now Schlecker, a local festival producer, is hoping this year’s festival is a success and will be brought back again next year.

This year’s festival was guided by the theme “eat, play, shop,” and included many local dairies, restaurants, breweries, artists and antique shops.