MIDDLETON, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — A new tourism trail in Massachusetts aims to highlight a favorite dessert treat: ice cream.
State officials launched the Massachusetts Ice Cream Trail on Thursday. It maps out more than a 100 shops and stands that use local ingredients in their ice cream.
"Massachusetts has a vibrant agricultural sector that thrives thanks to the hardworking farmers who diligently support our communities. This new tourism trail is designed to invite residents and visitors to experience our creative dessert offerings at traditional parlors, innovative shops, and local farm stands," Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement.
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“Dairy farms are the backbone of the Massachusetts Ice Cream Trail,” said Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll. “They provide the essential ingredients for our delicious ice cream and contribute significantly to our state’s economy and rural character,” Driscoll added.
The trail is a collaboration between the Massachusetts Dairy Promotion Board, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, and the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism.
Kate Fox, executive director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, told WBZ NewsRadio that ice cream "is a really popular way for the farms to have a retail establishment and generate revenue that sustains the farms' operations."
Fox added that local ice cream shops are excited to get people through the door. There is also a special Ice Cream Trail sticker.
The full list of ice cream shops along the trail can be found here.