San Juan Capistrano has its swallows, East Greenwich has sleeping bags outside Hill-Top Creamery.

The swallows are said to return to the mission at San Juan Capistrano every March 19, while Hill-Top Creamery reopens the third Saturday of March (this year, March 16), prompting the sleeping-bag brigade.

This year was no different, with some of the ice cream faithful arriving as early as 3:30 a.m., according to Hill-Top co-owner Cindy Hoernle, looking to be among the first to get ice cream from Hill-Top in 2013.

It was chilly, so the Hoernles (Cindy owns the shop with her husband, Ricky) passed out gift certificates and decided to open at 11:30 instead of noon. Longtime employee Brooke MacDonald was on hand, scoop and dipping. Customers bellied up to the window, placed their orders and stepped away with a handful of icy deliciousness.

All is right in the world – Hill-Top is open.