Today, Thunder Bay, is a day for classic treats and community good! We’re celebrating a delicious tradition with our friends at the Delta Marriott Thunder Bay for their annual National Root Beer Float Day!
From noon until 4 PM today, you can head down and get yourself a perfect root beer float. You’ll find them set up right outside the hotel on Sleeping Giant Parkway.
But this isn’t just about a sweet treat; it’s a nod to some incredible history!
A Sweet Story with Deep Roots
Did you know that the entire Marriott hospitality empire started with a simple root beer float? Back in 1927, founders J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott launched their very first business as a small nine-seat A&W Root Beer stand. It was a place to cool off from the summer heat, and it eventually grew into the global leader in hospitality we know today!
And the history of the float itself is even older! It’s said the drink was invented by accident in 1893 when a soda fountain owner named Frank J. Wisner was inspired by a full moon on a snow-capped mountain. He added a scoop of vanilla ice cream to his root beer, and the “Black Cow” was born!
A Treat That Does Good
The best part of this event? All of the proceeds go to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Marriott has been their very first corporate partner since 1983, a partnership that has raised over $165 million for kids!
The funds raised right here in Thunder Bay stay local and are vital for our community. Your float purchase today helps provide:
- Critical, life-saving treatments and medical equipment.
- Innovative research and child life services.
- Financial assistance for families who could not otherwise afford these health services.
- So, while you’re enjoying the perfect creamy, cold, and bubbly treat, know that you’re also making a huge difference for local families.
Come on down to the Delta Marriott today between noon and 4 PM! Let’s fill up on floats and support a truly amazing cause!
