🍦 FREE CONE Day 2026 – Mar 20

👑 FREE CONE Day ORIGIN & HISTORY

Dairy Queen’s FREE CONE Day is typically held in March, often around the 1st Day of Spring (~March 19, 20 or 21). On this day, participating Dairy Queen locations give out millions of FREE small vanilla soft-serve cones for a limited time, usually during afternoon hours.

You typically can dip your cone for only a $1 donation to a local store charity like Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Flavors might include seasonal fruity cereal, orange creamsicle, confetti cake, butterscotch, cherry, and chocolate!

The exact date and details can vary every year, so it’s best to check with Dairy Queen or its social media channels for the most up-to-date info. In fact, DQ is over 85 years old now!

BIRTH of the Day

Dairy Queen’s FREE CONE Day began as a promotional event to celebrate spring’s arrival and thank customers for their loyalty. It’s been a beloved tradition for at least a decade, growing in popularity as DQ expanded the deal into Canada, the Bahamas, and beyond.

🍌 HOW to Celebrate & Observe FREE CONE Day?

Not sure how to LOVE the day? We’ve got a few interesting ideas to consider that may help you get started.

Here are some activities you can do on FREE CONE Day!

💙 Get your FREE Cone

Head to your nearest participating Dairy Queen and claim your free soft-serve cone. While you’re there, explore the menu and treat yourself to a Blizzard, DQ Sandwich, or a Dilly bar for later.

💙 Make it a FAMILY Outing

Turn FREE CONE Day into an annual family tradition by bringing your kids, parents, or grandparents along. Take photos of everyone enjoying their cones and make it a day to remember. Add a dip, sprinkles, or other toppings to your free cone for a small fee.

💙 MARK your Calendar

Why not plan for next year? Make a note to celebrate FREE CONE Day again by counting down the days to the cool treat next year.

💙 FAMILY & CLASSROOM Activities

Celebrating FREE CONE Day can be a delightful and creative experience. Remember to tailor these activities based on the age group and preferences of the children or students involved. The fun and laughter might drip & melt in this special section!

It’s also a great opportunity for teachers to build a simple thematic unit around ice cream cones—blending food science, math measurement, cultural history, descriptive writing, and creative art. Whether it’s a one-day focus or a week-long project, this theme gives educators a fun way to connect classroom lessons with sensory exploration.

Here are some child-friendly and playful ways for youngsters to celebrate the occasion and CONE-quer ice cream like a champ:

• Ice Cream Adventure – Visit different locations and compare cones. Who has the best swirl?
• DIY Ice Cream Party – After grabbing a free cone, make your own at home with toppings.
• Cone Decorating Station – Let kids dip their cones in sprinkles, crushed cookies, or chocolate.
• Ice Cream Relay Race – Have kids race while holding a cone without dropping it.
• Story Time & Ice Cream – Read fun ice cream-themed books while enjoying a cone.
• Ice Cream Art – Draw or paint ice cream cones with fun colors and patterns.
• Ice Cream Science – Teach kids how ice cream is made with a simple homemade recipe.
• Dress Like an Ice Cream Cone – Have kids wear pastel colors or make cone-shaped hats.
• Sing Ice Cream Songs – Make up silly songs about FREE CONE Day while eating.
• Thank You Cards for DQ Workers – Teach kids gratitude by writing or drawing a thank-you note for the workers handing out free cones.

💙 RAISE Social Awareness

Use social media posts with the hashtags #FreeConeDay, #DQFreeConeDay, #DairyQueen, #IceCream, #Treats, #DippedCone, #IceCreamCone, #SoftServe, #SoftServeIcecream, #Sweets, #FreeFood, #FoodHolidays, #MarchHolidays, #Holiday, #FindADayToLOVE, #iHEARTdays to support the importance of celebrating, promoting, and sharing with the world why you ❤️ FREE CONE Day.

LEARN more about the history of DQ & THE ICE CREAM CONE

HOW ARE ICE CREAM CONES MADE?

HISTORY OF THE ICE CREAM CONE

THE COOL HISTORY OF DAIRY QUEEN

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT CURL

ELEVEN Fun Facts you never knew about FREE CONE Day

1. Dipped cones with hard chocolate shells became popular in the 1930s at soda fountains.
2. There are three main types of cones: sugar cones (crunchy), waffle cones (sweet and airy), and cake cones (light and crisp).
3. Warren Buffett loves Dairy Queen; his company, Berkshire Hathaway, owns it.
4. The first DQ opened in 1940 in Joliet, Illinois, selling 5-cent soft-serve cones.
5. Blizzards can be served upside down. Some locations even give a free one if they forget!
6. Dairy Queen once made a 21-foot-tall blizzard for a Guinness World Record.
7. The ice cream cone was popularized at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair when a waffle vendor rolled his waffles into cones after an ice cream seller ran out of dishes. But it was an Italian named Italo Marchiony from New York who patented the ice cream cone a year earlier in 1903.
8. Ancient Persians had a similar concept, serving sorbet made from snow or ice flavored with fruit syrups or rose water in thin pastry bowls. They even had ice houses, called “yakhchals” to store ice and keep things chilled!
9. Originally, all cones were hand-rolled before machines took over production.
10. Some cones now have chocolate at the bottom to prevent drips, a feature made famous by Drumsticks.
11. Edible cones were first seen as a way to reduce waste, where you can eat the container instead of using disposable dishes.

Famous PEOPLE also born on the 1st day of Spring

• Ovid

  Roman poet best known for his wit, storytelling, and exploration of human emotions. He wrote Metamorphoses, a narrative poem that influenced Western art and literature for centuries. Born 43 BC.
  

  SaleBestseller No. 1 Metamorphoses (Penguin Classics) $10.80

  SaleBestseller No. 2 Metamorphoses (Penguin Clothbound Classics) $15.79

  SaleBestseller No. 3 Metamorphoses: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) $10.39

  OVID Quotes

  “Love is a kind of warfare.”

  “Everything changes, nothing perishes.”

• Benito Juárez

  Mexican national hero and president best known for his leadership during the Reform War, efforts to modernize Mexico, and resistance to foreign intervention. Born 1806.
  

  Bestseller No. 1 Apuntes para mis hijos (Historia) (Spanish... $6.77

  Bestseller No. 2 Cool Benito Juarez T Shirt T-Shirt $17.99

  Bestseller No. 3 Maximilian & Juarez (Phoenix Press) $30.40

  BENITO JUÁREZ Quotes

  “Men are nothing; principles are everything.”

  “Democracy is the destiny of humanity; freedom its indestructible arm.”

• Henrik Ibsen

  Norwegian playwright known as the “father of modern drama”. Like A Doll’s House and Hedda Gabler, his works revolutionized theater. Born 1828.
  

  SaleBestseller No. 1 Four Major Plays: Doll's House; Ghosts; Hedda... $9.24

  SaleBestseller No. 2 Hedda Gabler and Other Plays (Penguin Classics) $15.27

  Bestseller No. 3 Delphi Complete Works of Henrik Ibsen... $2.99

  HENRIK IBSEN Quotes

  “The strongest man in the world is he who stands most alone … The majority is never right.”

  “A thousand words will not leave so deep an impression as one deed.”

Future DATES for FREE CONE Day

Year	Date	Day of the Week
2025	March 20	Thursday
2026	March 20	Friday
2027	March 20	Saturday
2028	March 19	Sunday
2029	March 20	Tuesday

🍨 Dairy Queen FAQ

WHEN is FREE CONE Day?

• FREE CONE Day is an annual celebration held on the first day of spring each year. Depending on where you’re at, either the Northern or Southern Hemisphere, it could be anytime around March 19th, 20th, or 21st.

Is FREE Cone Day really free?

• Yes! Customers receive a free small vanilla soft-serve cone at participating locations. Some locations may offer upgrades (like dipped cones or larger sizes) for an additional fee. FREE CONE Day is for everyone! Kids, adults, and seniors can all enjoy a free cone.

Can I get a DIFFERENT flavor or treat instead of vanilla soft-serve?

• The free offer is limited to one free cone per person only. Upgrades or other treats may be available for an additional cost.

Why we L💜VE FREE CONE Day

DQ FREE CONE Day is more than just a free treat – it’s a celebration of community, generosity, and the joy of ice cream. For Dairy Queen, it’s an opportunity to give back, connect with customers, and kick off the spring season with a sweet start. For everyone else, it’s a day to indulge, connect, and celebrate the little things that make life sweeter.

1. JOY of Free Treats

   Who doesn’t love free? There’s something undeniably exciting about getting something for free, especially when it’s a delicious, creamy soft-serve cone from Dairy Queen. FREE CONE Day feels like a little gift, a small but meaningful way to break from the ordinary routine that brightens our day and treats us.

2. Celebration of SPRING

   We welcome warmer weather. Held on the first day of spring, FREE CONE Day marks the end of winter and the beginning of sunny, ice-cream-friendly days. The event symbolizes new beginnings and the simple pleasures that come with the changing seasons.

3. Ice Cream, You SCREAM

   Ice Cream = Happiness. It’s a universally loved treat that transcends age, culture, and language. FREE CONE Day taps into that universal joy. There’s something special about Dairy Queen’s iconic vanilla soft-serve — it’s creamy, nostalgic, and downright delicious!

FREE Cones? Yes, please!

💗