Ice cream fans, there's a cool little treat coming for you this month: Not only will the Gelato Festival World Masters offer Angelenos the chance to indulge their sweet tooth, but they'll also be able to weigh in on the competition and vote on their favorites. Sweet treats and offering up an opinion? An ideal day, and you can have just that when the fest churns its way to Los Angeles on August 30 and 31 from 10am to 7pm at Ovation Hollywood.
"Our competing chefs have whipped up original gelato recipes especially for the tournament, and you can cast your vote for your favorite flavor," the International Gelato Festival wrote on its website. "You’ll get the full rundown on each gelato—the ingredients, the production process, and the story behind the finished product—plus, you can sample other products from our partners and sponsors. Stay until the end to find out who takes the title and gets to represent North America at the World Finals in 2026!"
RECOMMENDED: Ice Cream Alley is back at Smorgasburg L.A. to cool you down this summer
That's right, the Los Angeles event is the North American finals, which means you can help choose who represents the continent during the Gelato Festival World Masters' 2026 Grand Finale.
This year's competitors hail from Pittsburgh to Plano, Canada to Cincinnati: Mohammad Alqawasmi (Bazaria), Lauren Brock (Butterfat Gelato), Maria Liliana Biondo (uGOgelato), Golan Chetrit (Noi Due Gelato), James Coleridge (Gelato by James), Juan Antonio Coyoli Maciel (Super Creamy), Francia Michelle Magsaysay (Francy’s Artisanal Ice Cream), Stefania Pede (Cocoa 40 Inc.), Tassia Vicentin Rezende (Tre Cuori Gelateria & Açai) and Melanie Wolf (Pompelmo Gelateria). The victor will have the chance to compete at the 11th Gelato World Cup in January.
But there's more to it than just spooning—the two-day event in Los Angeles includes panels on making desserts into a business, an eating contest that dares competitors to fight through brain freeze, and desserts from chefs at The Little Door, TAO and more.
Tickets start at $27.25 and include samples from Joy Gelato and the Gelato Festival product line. But if you want to vote, you'll need an add-on tasting pass. And this is a timed-entry event, with 10am-1pm, 1-4pm and 4-6pm slots. Click here to buy your pass.