For ice cream lovers and sustainability enthusiasts alike, 2025 is delivering a sweet, unforgettable treat. PETA’s new “iScream” truck is not your ordinary dessert vehicle—it’s a pink, rolling celebration of vegan ice cream, animal welfare, and conscious indulgence. And yes, you might literally scream… for vegan ice cream.
This innovative initiative combines delicious plant-based treats with activism, inviting communities across the country to taste their way to a kinder, more sustainable world. For those inspired to explore more plant-based culinary creations, check out our full collection of sustainable recipes.
What Makes the iScream Truck Special?
The iScream Truck is PETA’s first-ever mobile vegan ice cream parlor, designed to engage both taste buds and awareness. Onboard the vibrant pink vehicle, PETA volunteers serve decadent, cruelty-free ice cream treats while educating attendees about the suffering cows endure in the dairy industry.
By pairing fun, sensory-rich experiences with education, the truck encourages participants to rethink their dessert choices while having a great time. The campaign cleverly uses the pun “iScream” to symbolize both excitement for vegan desserts and a call to action for animal rights.
A National Tour of Sweetness
The iScream Truck kicked off its national tour outside the back-to-school event at Port Discovery Children’s Museum in Baltimore, immediately drawing families, students, and vegan enthusiasts. From there, the truck has been crisscrossing the country, making stops outside local ice cream shops like Lucky’s and Vaccaro’s, offering free vegan strawberry shortcake pops, chocolate fudge frozen pops, and chocolate vanilla ice cream sandwiches from GoodPop.
In 2025 alone, the iScream Truck has visited more than five cities, delighting crowds with both flavor and purpose. Upcoming stops include:
| City | Date |
|---|---|
| Bar Harbor, Maine | September 6, 2025 |
| Portland, Maine | September 7, 2025 |
Exact times and locations are posted each morning by 10 a.m. EDT for those eager to participate. The truck serves from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., making it a lunchtime treat that doubles as a lesson in sustainability and ethical eating.
The Heart of the Matter: Why Go Vegan?
The iScream Truck isn’t just about ice cream—it’s about standing up for animals. Cows in the dairy industry face repeated trauma, including:
- Artificial insemination and forced pregnancies, separating calves from their mothers shortly after birth.
- Dehorning, castration, and other painful procedures without anesthesia.
- Newborn calves are either raised for veal or exploited for reproductive purposes.
- Mother cows are often killed when their bodies can no longer sustain milk production.
By choosing vegan ice cream, participants can enjoy indulgent desserts without contributing to this cruelty, supporting a more compassionate and environmentally sustainable food system.
Delicious and Sustainable Choices
The iScream Truck features a wide array of plant-based ice cream options, offering something for every palate:
- Strawberry Shortcake Pops: Fruity, sweet, and creamy—all without dairy.
- Chocolate Fudge Frozen Pops: Rich chocolate indulgence with zero animal exploitation.
- Chocolate Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches: Nostalgic and decadent, made entirely vegan.
For those who can’t catch the truck in their city, there’s no shortage of dairy-free alternatives available today. Brands like Oatly, Breyer’s, Ben & Jerry’s, and GoodPop provide delicious, accessible options that allow calves to remain with their mothers and reduce environmental impact.
Plant-based ice cream is also better for the planet, requiring far less water and producing fewer greenhouse gas emissions than traditional dairy—making it a treat for both your taste buds and the Earth. For creative ways to enjoy vegan desserts at home, check out our recipe collection here.
Fun, Engaging, and Educational
Beyond flavor, the iScream Truck is a multi-sensory, educational experience. Volunteers engage directly with participants, providing information about animal welfare, sustainable eating, and ethical food choices. Families, students, and ice cream lovers are encouraged to “lose cone-trol” while learning how their choices impact the planet and its inhabitants.
The iScream Truck also creates opportunities for community engagement, with crowds playing games like hopscotch and enjoying the festive atmosphere while savoring their vegan treats. It’s a model for how fun and sustainability can intersect, inspiring people of all ages to think critically about the food they eat.
The Broader Impact: Sustainability Through Indulgence
PETA’s iScream Truck demonstrates that sustainability doesn’t have to be restrictive or joyless. By turning plant-based ice cream into a national, interactive event, it proves that small, thoughtful choices—like choosing vegan desserts—can reduce animal suffering, lower carbon footprints, and raise awareness about food ethics.
Every scoop served, every smile, and every conversation sparked by the truck contributes to a larger cultural shift toward mindful eating and ethical consumption. Participants leave not only with a satisfied sweet tooth but also with knowledge and motivation to make compassionate, sustainable choices in their daily lives.
Join the Movement
Whether the iScream Truck rolls into your city or not, there are countless ways to support animal welfare and sustainability through your food choices. Opting for vegan desserts, trying plant-based recipes, and educating others about the environmental impact of dairy are all steps in the right direction.
For inspiration, tips, and mouthwatering plant-based desserts, visit Sustainable Action Now Recipes. Explore flavors, experiment in your kitchen, and discover how delicious, sustainable eating can be a part of every day.
PETA’s iScream Truck proves that fun, flavor, and ethics can coexist. By engaging communities nationwide, it’s transforming dessert into a vehicle for awareness, sustainability, and compassion—one vegan scoop at a time.
