Get your sweet tooth ready for August 25th, because it’s National Banana Split Day! This day is dedicated to honoring one of America’s most beloved desserts – the banana split. It’s a completely bananas (pun intended) celebration of indulgence, creativity, and pure deliciousness and one of many mouthwatering August food holidays. If you’re making one at home or enjoying it at your favorite ice cream parlor on National Banana Split Day, take a moment to appreciate the creativity and fun behind this classic dessert.
The History Behind the Banana Split
Let’s rewind to 1904 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Picture a young 23-year-old apprentice pharmacist named David Evans Strickler. Now, you might wonder what a pharmacist has to do with ice cream. It turns out David had a sweet spot for inventing sundaes at the Tassel Pharmacy’s soda fountain. One day, he dreamt up the ultimate treat: the banana split. It was a stroke of genius – one banana, split lengthwise, cradling three scoops of ice cream (vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry), topped with syrups, a generous dollop of whipped cream, a sprinkle of crushed nuts, and of course, a cherry on top.
News of this delightful creation spread like wildfire and soon soda fountains and ice cream parlors across the United States were serving up this banana-based beauty. The banana split became a symbol of joy and indulgence, a dessert that was both fun to make and even more fun to eat.
When is National Banana Split Day Celebrated?
To help you plan your banana split celebrations, here are the dates for National Banana Split Day. As you can see, National Banana Split Day always takes place on August 25th, but the weekday always changes. You will find both in the table below:
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2024 | August 25, Sunday |
| 2025 | August 25, Monday |
| 2026 | August 25, Tuesday |
| 2027 | August 25, Wednesday |
| 2028 | August 25, Friday |
| 2029 | August 25, Saturday |
| 2030 | August 25, Sunday |
How to Make a Banana Split
If you’re wondering what exactly makes a banana split a banana split, here are the classic components of this beloved dessert:
Traditionally, a banana split consists of:
- One banana, split lengthwise.
- Three scoops of ice cream (vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry).
- Toppings: Chocolate syrup, strawberry sauce, and pineapple sauce.
- Garnishes: Whipped cream, crushed nuts, and a maraschino cherry on top.
Banana Split Fun Facts
Banana splits are a classic dessert that many of us love, but how much do you really know about them? From a banana split festival to the longest ever banana split, these fun facts will give you a new appreciation for this delicious treat.
- Did you know that the birthplace of the banana split, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, celebrates this iconic dessert every year? The Banana Split Festival commemorates the creation of the banana split and features a variety of activities including a banana split eating contest, live music, food vendors, and family-friendly games. The festival also includes a large parade and a community celebration that brings together locals and visitors alike to enjoy this historic treat. Latrobe proudly hosts this event, highlighting its unique contribution to dessert history​
- Walgreens drug stores, operated by Charles Rudolph Walgreens, played a significant role in popularizing the banana split on a national level. The store promoted it as their signature dessert, attracting many customers to their soda fountains while they waited for their prescriptions to be filled​
- Did you know that the longest banana split ever made was 5 miles long? That’s right, in 2017, the town of Innisfail, Australia, decided to go bananas and set a world record at the local Feast of the Senses Festival. It took countless bananas, gallons of ice cream, and a whole lot of teamwork to pull off this epic feat. They used an astounding 40,000 bananas, 660 gallons of ice cream, and 528 gallons of toppings to make it the longest-ever banana split (26377.95 ft or 5 miles), beating the old record by almost a mile!
Before You Go:
We have many more national days lists for you to explore.
- Food-related national days: complete list of national food days, pasta & noodles days, vegan & vegetarian days, mushroom days, ice-cream days, pizza days, coffee days, chocolate days, wine days, alcohol & drinking days.
- Non-food national days: National Days Calendars 2024-2025 (check out the printable calendars in my Etsy shop), National Days for Teachers, and a wide array of special lists such as cat days, dog days, animal days, cleaning & organizing days, book days, music days, family & relationships days, national days for women, stationery days and even Harry Potter days.
- Country-specific national days: Australian national days, more coming soon.
