Emory Dining mixes it up at the three annual summer Farmers Market events.

The closure for renovation of Cox Hall means Emory Dining won't be churning the ice cream at this year's Ice Cream Social on Tuesday, June 26.

Instead, High Road Craft Ice Cream will sell scoops of its own creations, says Julie Shaffer, sustainable food service education coordinator.

"We'll have a vegan option, a berry sorbet, plus a burnt sugar flavor and a chocolate one," she says.

Attending a recent tasting of  flavors for the Ice Cream Social, Shaffer describes them as "outstanding." The choice of High Road is in keeping with Emory's mission to use local foods. The company was founded three years ago by a chef and partners in Atlanta.

Cost per scoop is being worked out, Shaffer says, adding "it won't be super expensive. We're looking to sell in the $2 to $2.50 range. Last year, we sold 400 servings of ice cream."

A drawing for an ice cream freezer will be held.

The Favorite Flavors of Summer is set for Tuesday, July 17, featuring grilled foods and the popular watermelon seed-spitting contest.  Peaches will also be available for the first time at this event. Both the watermelons and peaches will be locally grown.

The watermelon seed-spitting contest winners get prizes like cooking lessons at Cook's Warehouse in Decatur, picnic baskets and other food-related things, Shaffer notes. "And it's a lot of fun to watch," she adds.

The Tomato Festival, the annual celebration of tomatoes, will be Tuesday, Aug. 28. This is the final event of the summer before the Farmers Market resumes its regular schedule in fall. A celebrity chef will visit to demonstrate a variety of recipes using tomatoes. The demonstrations, Shaffer says, will be held throughout the campus.

The three special events run from noon to 2 p.m. on the Cox Hall Bridge. The Farmers Market runs concurrently until 4 p.m. that day. Vendors offer fruits and vegetables, breads, baked goods, honey, eggs, cheeses and more.