The downtown Sarasota coffee and ice cream shop Rise & Nye’s is hosting its inaugural Great Ice Cream Eating Championship this Saturday, May 21. The $20 entry fee raises money for Inclusion Revolution, the nonprofit behind Rise & Nye's, which employs people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to encourage inclusion and acceptance.

“It’s all about having a place for these guys to be included and show their abilities," says co-owner Beaver Shriver. "The flipside is just important—for people to come in and meet them.”

The contest will be divided into two age groups: kids 12 and younger and kids 13 and up. Competitors will be given four minutes to eat as much ice cream as they can, a task that sounds fun and easy, but will likely turn out to be challenging, given the potential for a brain freeze.

The winner of the youth competition will get to create and name their own ice cream flavor, which will be made in-house alongside Rise & Nye's other flavors. The 13-and-up winner will receive a dinner cruise for two on the Marina Jack II yacht.

If you're planning to attend the downtown Sarasota Farmers Market this Saturday, be sure to make time for this special event. There is still plenty of room for the contest; interested participants are asked to register in advance.

The Rise and Nye’s Great Ice Cream Eating Championship will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 21, at 1534 State St., Sarasota. For more information, visit the Rise & Nye's website.