Coffee Lena. Swingin’ Sixty. Folk, That’s Good. Saratoga Springs’ Caffè Lena is turning 60 this May, and to honor its milestone birthday, the historic music venue has teamed up with local convenience store powerhouse Stewart’s Shops. The company, which is well known within and beyond the confines of its upstate perch for its many flavors of ice cream, has launched a campaign to rename its Brew Ha-Ha ice cream after Caffè Lena for the entire summer season (if you’re wondering, those three stabs at the top of the story are my own; the venue is only allowing contestants one chance to rename the ice cream flavor).
The famed coffeehouse-venue made the call for entries official on February 7, noting that the one lucky person with the winning submission would land a $100 Stewart’s Shops gift certificate and pair of tickets to the 60th anniversary celebration show. The winner would also be included in the venue’s press release photo shoot, which will be taking place in May.
This is actually not the first time that Stewart’s has temporarily renamed the ice cream flavor. Last year, the company partnered with St. Lawrence University to rename the flavor “SLU-ha-ha,” but only in the Canton and Potsdam markets.
First opened in 1960, Caffè Lena is the longest continuously operating folk music venue in the US. Throughout the years, the venue has hosted the likes of Bob Dylan, Don McLean, Emmylou Harris, Townes Van Zandt and countless other luminaries in the folk music world. Recently, the venue announced that it would be opening a music school for children ages 7-12 in March.
Want to take part in the Brew Ha-Ha renaming contest? Send Caffè Lena your entries here.
