New York City’s culinary scene thrives on drama—hot pizza slices, bagel debates, and now, seltzer wars. This Sunday, March 16, the Brooklyn Seltzer Museum pops the cap off SeltzerFest 2025, a fizzy extravaganza at Industry City celebrating the city’s effervescent roots. From live music to seltzer tastings, the festival’s main event? The National Egg Cream Invitational, where soda jerks battle for the Golden Siphon trophy. Tickets ($36/adult; kids free) grant access to foam-filled chaos, quirky vendors, and the chance to crown NYC’s best egg cream—a drink that, despite its name, contains neither egg nor cream. Welcome to a New York tradition as frothy as it is iconic.
The Egg Cream Showdown
At the heart of SeltzerFest lies the egg cream—a Brooklyn-born beverage dating back to the 1890s. Made with chocolate syrup (traditionally Fox’s U-bet), milk, and a aggressive pour of seltzer, its magic lies in its ephemeral fizz. This year, eight contenders—including Peter Pan Donuts, Brooklyn Farmacy, and Philly’s reigning champ Franklin Fountain—will clash onstage. Will they stick to tradition or pull a Franklin Fountain-style curveball (think egg yolks in a yolk-less drink)? Judges like Chef Ari Miller and Uncut Gems director Benny Safdie will scrutinize each velvety sip.
The rules? Handmade. Immediate enjoyment. Maximum drama. “It’s not just a drink—it’s theater,” says Eric Berley, last year’s winner. For attendees, it’s a front-row seat to NYC’s culinary grit, where even a humble soda fountain staple becomes a battleground for bragging rights.
SeltzerFest Bottles to TikTok Trends
While egg creams steal the spotlight, SeltzerFest also honors seltzer’s immigrant roots. The Brooklyn Seltzer Museum—nestled in a fourth-generation seltzer works—curates the event, blending history with hype. Did you know seltzer’s effervescence was once a luxury, bottled by Eastern European immigrants in pre-war NYC? Today, that legacy fizzes on through artisanal brands and viral seltzer cocktails.
At Industry City, dive into interactive exhibits (think DIY seltzer stations), sample global bubbly brands, and meet the “seltzer sommeliers” reviving this retro craft. “It’s about honoring the past while shaking up the future,” says museum director Clara Fizzman (yes, real name). Even the merch—limited-edition seltzer syphons, retro aprons—bridges Brooklyn’s hipster present with its soda fountain past.
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