It has become a Saturday to circle on the calendar, as you can enjoy a filling dinner and a homemade dessert not too far apart in Escalon.

As has happened the past few years, the annual Escalon United Methodist Church ice cream social and the Escalon American Legion dinner night for August have fallen on the same Saturday.

This past weekend featured the dinner and dessert option, with the American Legion dinner starting at 5 p.m. on Second Street; the Methodist Church ice cream social running from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Jackson Avenue.

For the American Legion Gustafson-Thompson Post 263, the dinners have become a staple, hosted several months out of the year as a way to thank those in the community for their support of the Legion and its activities.

This month’s menu featured a variety of pasta dishes, salads, fruit, bread, rolls, beverages and dessert. There is no charge, but donations are accepted. Officials reported a good crowd, with several dozen turning out for the pasta meal.

There won’t be a dinner in September, as the Legion Post will be the site instead for a fundraising breakfast, offered as part of the festivities for the Escalon Lions Club annual Autumn Cruise, set for Sept. 12.

However, the dinner night will return in October, with the Oct. 17 gathering to feature the traditional chili cook off.

Several of those that started the evening with the Legion dinner on Saturday, Aug. 15 then found their way to the Escalon United Methodist Church at 2000 Jackson Ave., just down the street and around the corner from the Legion Post. There, they joined others in attendance at the popular end-of-the-summer ice cream social.

This year’s featured flavors – all homemade – were old-fashioned vanilla, chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, peach, mint ‘n chip, banana and blackberry.

“I’m guessing we’ll have about 100,” organizer Klint Turner said of how many he was anticipating would turn out for the social.

The ice cream was served, buffet style, so you could try as many flavors as you wanted … or even go back for seconds. You could also take a slice of pie or a brownie to enjoy as well. Donations were accepted; there was no formal charge for the event.

One of those attending – definitely the winner of the ‘traveled the farthest’ honor, if they awarded one – was Jan (Cardoza) Thompson, who came in from near Corvallis, Oregon.

“We were coming down here to visit relatives anyway, but I made him (husband) drive extra fast to make the ice cream social,” Thompson, who grew up in Escalon, shared with a chuckle. “When’s the last time you had homemade ice cream?”

She was glad to have made it on time and shared the cool treat while visiting with her mom, Gail Cardoza, at the social.

This year’s ice cream social also featured an added bonus; all those attending received a free ticket and two winners were drawn to receive a fruit pie made by the Escalon United Methodist Church. The pies are a popular item during the annual church holiday bazaar in late October.