Small Block - The Ice Cream Mayor
The Great California Ice Cream Tour
Don Lane likes ice cream.
A lot.
This July—National Ice Cream Month—the former three-time Santa Cruz mayor is taking to the road on a statewide quest to visit nearly 100 artisan ice cream shops, from San Diego to Eureka, one scoop at a time. Or probably two at a time.
But this isn't really a story about ice cream.
It's a story about citizenship, joy, and what happens when someone approaches every neighborhood as an advocate for the people who make it special.
In this Small Block, Chip joins Don for a few scoops, meets the people behind the counter, and explores how something as simple as an ice cream cone can become an act of community building.
About Don's Scoop Crawl
Don's month-long California Ice Cream Tour is taking him to nearly 100 artisan ice cream shops across the state. Along the way, he's meeting shop owners, celebrating local businesses, and sharing his enthusiasm for the places that bring communities together.
On Sunday, July 19—National Ice Cream Day—that statewide adventure comes home to Santa Cruz with a public Scoop Crawl. Beginning at 3:00 p.m., participants will visit four beloved local shops—Mission Hill Creamery, Gran Gelato Caffè, Penny Ice Creamery, and Marianne's/Polar Bear—for an afternoon celebrating some of the city's sweetest institutions. Learn more about the Scoop Crawl in Edible Monterey Bay's feature on the event.
Supporting Santa Cruz Immigrants
Don is also using the tour to raise funds for the Supporting Immigrants in Santa Cruz County Fund, which provides grants to trusted local organizations serving immigrant families with legal assistance, emergency support, education, and other essential services. If you'd like to support the effort, you can learn more or make a contribution through the Community Foundation Santa Cruz County.
