Scoop San Diego Ice Cream Festival
Goal: Since 2019, Scoop San Diego has used ice cream as a catalyst for social good, bringing the community together each year through its annual festival. The event has steadily grown in impact, raising vital funds for nonprofits serving San Diego’s most vulnerable residents. When Chemistry PR began supporting the festival pro bono in 2022, the goal was to elevate the event’s visibility through strategic communications, increase attendance, and strengthen the festival’s ability to raise funds for its nonprofit partners.
Strategy: Chemistry PR crafted an integrated communications approach that centered on connecting the joy of the festival with the powerful stories of the organizations it supports. Each year’s messaging was aligned with the chosen nonprofit beneficiary to highlight both the mission-driven purpose and the festive community spirit. Media outreach secured consistent coverage across top-tier local and regional outlets, while influencer campaigns generated authentic content that reached new audiences and encouraged attendance. By weaving together strategic planning, targeted storytelling, and community partnerships, Chemistry PR helped transform Scoop San Diego from a beloved local gathering into a widely recognized platform for social impact.
Results: The results of this collaboration speak for themselves. In 2022, the festival returned to its full in-person format and served more than 50,000 ice cream samples. That year, Scoop San Diego raised $25,000 for Alpha Project, directly supporting services for more than 4,000 individuals experiencing homelessness in San Diego County.
The momentum continued in 2023 with the fifth annual festival. Strong community turnout and generous vendor support helped raise $40,000 for the San Diego Food Bank, providing more than 80,000 meals to families across the region.
In 2024, the sixth annual festival generated $51,000 in donations for Berry Good Food, with every dollar of net proceeds funding the nonprofit’s Seeds for the Future program. The support helped build school garden beds, host cooking classes, and bring garden-based education to local students and families.
The 2025 festival marked another milestone, raising $55,000 for ProduceGood to advance its mission of reducing food waste and hunger in San Diego County. The funds allowed the organization to rescue and redistribute surplus produce through food pantries and community partners, ensuring more residents had access to fresh food.
Looking Ahead: After four years of growing success together, Chemistry PR is now supporting Scoop San Diego founder and Chief Ice Cream Officer Daniel Szpak in expanding the model to new communities. The inaugural Scoop Palm Springs Ice Cream Festival will bring together more than 20 local frozen treat vendors, Coachella Valley chefs and restaurants, and other businesses with the same goal of raising money for families in need. Inspired by its San Diego origins, the festival is poised to grow into a regional movement, spreading joy and creating meaningful impact across Southern California and beyond.