History of National Banana Split Day

The Banana Split, surprisingly, has a very definite history, and we can pinpoint its origins to one David Evans Stickler in 1904, where he was serving as an apprentice pharmacist at Tassel Pharmacy in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Like most pharmacies of the day, it had a soda fountain attached, and it was in this pharmacy that he invented the banana split, which quickly became a hit with the students at Saint Vincent College nearby. Word of mouth made it spread like wildfire, and it soon became an American institution, before going global.

In 2004 Latrobe hosted the 100th anniversary of the invention, the same year that it was certified as the birthplace of the banana split by NICRA (National Ice Cream Retailers Association). It also became the home of the Great American Banana Split Celebration, a huge event with food and events for everyone to take part in.

Of course, like with all great inventions, there is some contention about its origins (unless you ask NICRA). Wilmington, Ohio claims that it was invented there in 1907 in response to a slump in the ice cream business thanks to the winter season.

From https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/banana-split-day/#:~:text=The%20Banana%20Split%2C%20surprisingly%2C%20has,Tassel%20Pharmacy%20in%20Latrobe%2C%20Pennsylvania.