Rejoice! Today is basically Christmas morning for ice cream lovers.

That’s because starting at noon, the nation’s largest all-you-can-eat ice cream festival known as the Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl, will commence. We hope you can handle the excitement.

Every year, ice cream and frozen yogurt vendors come together to serve up their favorite icy treats to Bostonians. This year participants include Delish by Walgreens, Breyers, Friendly’s, Edy’s, Garelick Farms, Hood, Yasso, Baskin-Robbins and, of course, Ben & Jerry’s. All proceeds from the event benefit the Jimmy Fund, which supports adult and pediatric patient care and cancer research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Who could say no to good ice cream for a good cause? Not us. Which is why we took the time yesterday to speak to Ben & Jerry’s Co-founder Jerry Greenfield about Tuesday’s Scooper Bowl. The ice cream enthusiast and businessman is clearly doing what he loves. When I found the owner inside Ben & Jerry’s on Newbury Street, he was busy talking and mingling with customers and (no surprise) scooping ice cream for fans. Here, he talks to BostInno about today’s Scooper Bowl and shares valuable advice on starting a business in today’s world.

Marian White: Why did Ben & Jerry’s decide to get involved in the Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl?

Jerry Greenfield: Ben & Jerry’s has been participating for about 20 years or so. Part of what we like to do is be involved in community events, so that was a starting point for us. This is the biggest ice cream event in the world and it’s a great opportunity to work with other ice cream companies when normally you’re competing with them – whether it’s in grocery stores for shelf space or retail shops. But the idea of working with different ice cream companies for the same cause – raising money for the Jimmy Fund – is very compelling.

So, you do eat other ice cream besides Ben & Jerry’s?

I eat a lot of ice cream and I could definitely eat more today! I was interested in this flavor from Baskin-Robbins called Love Potion 31. I don’t know what it is, but it’s on the list of flavors I get from other companies. Edy’s has some fruit and veggie bars that I’m interested in. I like trying other stuff. I mostly eat Ben & Jerry’s because I like it and it’s free (laughs). Ben and I are members of the “free ice cream for life” club.

Where is Ben right now, anyway?

Ben is back in Vermont. We’re going bike riding tomorrow morning. We plan on meeting at his house around 10 a.m. to pedal around town.

Is there anything else you think our readers should know about this week’s Scooper Bowl?

I think the three-day pass is something people should know about. It’s $20 for three days, all the money goes to the Jimmy Fund, and you don’t have to feel pressured to eat everything in one day. You can spread it out over time and eat your ice cream in a leisurely fashion.

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Ben & Jerry’s Americone Dream! It’s vanilla with caramel swirl and fudge covered pieces of waffle cone.

As a successful entrepreneur, do you have any advice for our readers who are looking to start their own business?

When we started we didn’t intend to be anything more than an ice cream shop. We weren’t thinking of becoming a big business. My advice for entrepreneurs out there is to start small and do something that is in alignment with your own values. I think a lot times people start businesses with the idea that they want to make money, or it’s just a cool idea, and I think anytime you start something new you run into different problems. But doing something that is part of your core beliefs will take you through the difficult times.

Do you have any other tips or suggestions out there for Boston’s ice cream fans?

Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day is the best day of the year. You can get in line as many times as you want. So, the best thing to do is to get your cone and then go immediately to the end of the line. Then by the time you eat your cone in line, you’ll be ready for the next one. The timing works out perfectly.

The Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl starts today at noon in City Hall Plaza. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. A three-day Scooper pass is $20. Tickets are available at the door, at select Walgreens locations and online at www.scooperbowl.org. The Scooper Bowl event runs through Thursday, June 5, and is open from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. daily.