Havre de Grace Business Featured On Harford County Snowball Trail

HAVRE DE GRACE, MD — Harford County's tourism office is launching what it describes as a first-in-the-nation campaign — a snowball trail — in tribute to the summertime tradition. The Harford County Snowball Trail includes 12 stops featuring shaved ice stands from Joppa to Jarettsville.

Visit Harford has declared August “Snowball Month” and published an online guide to 12 stops along Harford County’s new Snowball Trail.

Maryland's love of snowballs dates back to more than 100 years ago when delivery trucks carrying blocks of ice passed through Baltimore.

"Although New Orleans may try to claim the title of snowball capitol of the United States, this tasty treat actually got its start in Baltimore," according to the HISTORY channel.

"During the Industrial Revolution, wagons carrying ice blocks from New York to the southern United States would pass through Baltimore and hand out ice shavings to kids, whose parents would then add flavoring," according to HISTORY. "The treat became a popular concession treat at movie theaters and remains a Baltimore tradition today, set apart by its signature dollop of marshmallow cream."

The snowball gets its name from the snowy texture and shape of the shaved ice.

“Maryland snowballs are unlike any other — the ice is chunkier than Italian ice, but finer than the crushed ice snow cones found most everywhere else," Greg Pizzuto, executive director of Visit Harford, said in announcing the Harford County Snowball Trail. "Located from Joppa to Jarrettsville and from Whiteford to Fallston, snowball stands carry on a favorite local summer tradition."

Here are the stops on Harford County's Snowball Trail:

• Arctic Ice, 1000 Joppa Farm Road, Joppa
• Doc’s Oasis, 3747 Federal Hill Road, Jarrettsville
• Dublin Snoball, 1539 Whiteford Road, Street
• Emmorton Snowballs & Ice Cream: 101 East Wheel Road, Bel Air
• Friendship Snowballs, 3502 Woodsdale Road, Abingdon
• Ice Hole Snowballs, 2419 Whiteford Road, Whiteford
• Island Ice, 305 S Philadelphia Boulevard, Aberdeen
• J&T Snowballs, 2400 Baldwin Mill Road, Fallston
• Sharon's Hawaiian Shaved Ice Snowballs, 595 Baltimore Pike, Bel Air (by McDonald's)
• Ti’s Snowballs, 1001 Pulaski Highway, Havre de Grace
• Waldo's Snowballs: 696 Belair Road, Bel Air (near the Harford Mall)
• Yummi Freeze, 1702 Harford Road, Fallston

"As summer winds down, use our trip planner at www.visitharford.com to create an outing that includes a snowball on the way to your favorite outdoor Harford County park, playground or walking trail," Pizzuto said.

Visit Harford's proclamation of August as Snowball Month comes on the heels of July, which is National Ice Cream Month, celebrated by the Maryland Department of Agriculture with its Maryland's Best Ice Cream Trail. That also includes stops in Harford County, which created its own guide to "7 Can't-Miss Ice Cream Spots in Harford County."