The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp paid tribute to the city’s historic Eastside neighborhood by rebranding as the Jacksonville Honey Drippers for two Memorial Day weekend games against the Memphis Redbirds.
As part of the celebration, the team donned specially designed Honey Drippers hats and jerseys. Fans attending Honey Drippers Weekend at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena were also treated to the city’s iconic frozen treat.
Honey drippers, Jacksonville’s beloved answer to the summer heat, are simple yet refreshing. Made by freezing Kool-Aid or fruit punch in a plastic cup, they’re a nostalgic staple often found in neighborhood freezers or sold by the local “honey dripper lady.” This homemade dessert is easy to make, but rich in cultural flavor.
Variations of this treat are enjoyed across the country under different names: “thrill” in Savannah, “freeze cup” in Michigan, “huckabuck” in Louisiana and parts of Georgia, “chilly cups” in Cleveland, and “limber” in Puerto Rico. Other names like “Dixie cup,” “Lilly Dilly,” and “Cherry Berry” pop up across regions. But here in Jacksonville, the name “honey dripper” is uniquely ours.
If you missed the festivities this past weekend, don’t worry, Honey Dripper Weekend returns on August 30th and 31st for another round of baseball and local flavor.
