Around Town

Del Ray eatery gives free milkshakes to customers catching water balloons thrown from roof

By James Cullum
Water balloons were recently thrown off the roof of Holy Cow at 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray (via Holy Cow/Facebook)

Just in time for summer, Del Ray burger joint Holy Cow gave away a milkshake concoction earlier this month to customers who could catch a water balloon thrown from the roof of the business.

Restaurant staff recently channeled their inner David Letterman as a way to promote their monthly cereal-based milkshake series. This month’s milkshake is the Golden Graham, made of Golden Grahams cereal with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, whipped cream and mini marshmallows.

Restaurant owner Bill Blackburn was inspired earlier this month after throwing watermelons off the roof of another of his restaurants, Tequila & Taco in the city’s Carlyle neighborhood.

“I thought, ‘This is fun,'” Blackburn told ALXnow. “How can we throw more things off the roof and call it business?”

Upward of 60 people tried catching the water balloons, but only a half dozen actually caught one without it bursting.

Holy Cow customers have also danced for free milkshakes, played Blackburn in rock-paper-scissors, and even participated in a spelling bee.

Blackburn says there is no set schedule for the contests.

Image via Holy Cow/Facebook

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.