Ben & Jerry’s free cone day is back: here is how to score free ice cream everywhere in the US

If your spring calendar could use a little more joy (and a lot more ice cream), here’s some good news: Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day is officially returning on Tuesday, April 14—and yes, the scoops are still completely free.

The annual giveaway will take place at participating Ben & Jerry’s shops across the United States and around the world, with the Vermont-born ice cream company aiming to hand out a staggering 1,000,001 scoops in a single day. (Even sweeter? There’s no limit to how many cones you can claim.)

Fans can simply line up at their local shop, grab a free cone and, if they’re still feeling indecisive between Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Cookie Dough or another classic, hop back in line for another round. The company has confirmed that repeat visits are fair game, meaning ambitious ice cream lovers can try as many flavors as they’re willing to queue for.

Free Cone Day has been a beloved ritual for nearly half a century. The tradition dates back to 1979, when founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield decided to celebrate surviving their first brutal Vermont winter by giving away free ice cream to the residents of Burlington who helped keep the fledgling shop afloat. What began as a small neighborhood thank-you has since turned into a global ice cream holiday. Today, participating Scoop Shops across 13 countries join the celebration, serving cones everywhere from Burlington to Montreal to Brighton.

In recent years, the event has drawn enormous crowds thanks to long lines of fans, fast-moving scoopers behind the counter and a parade of colorful cones stacked with fan-favorite flavors. But this year’s “1 million and one scoops” goal would be a record-breaking haul for the brand. According to the company, if you stacked that many cones end to end, they would reach roughly 17 times the height of Mount Everest.

For those hoping to participate, the strategy is simple: show up hungry and bring your patience for a line. Most Scoop Shops will open with free scoops available throughout the day, though exact hours may vary by location. 

Free ice cream, unlimited flavor testing and a nearly 50-year-old tradition of joyful chaos? That’s a pretty sweet way to spend a Tuesday.