Sunday is National Ice Cream Day! Free Ice Cream is Available!!!

While I personally believe any, and every, day is a great day for ice cream, this Sunday - July 19, 2015, is National Ice Cream Day! In fact, the month of July is Ice Cream Month! So, I thought in honor of this most tasty of months and days, I'd share some fun facts with you and information about where you will find free ice cream! First the "scoop" on the fun facts . . . 

• Before ice cream was made from milk, it was actually made from ice.
• The United States is the country where the most ice cream is enjoyed - on average one person enjoys 48 pints of ice cream per year.
• 90% of American households eat ice cream.
• However; the biggest ice cream sundae was created in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1988 . . . it weighted 24 tons.
• The most popular flavor of ice cream is vanilla followed by chocolate, strawberry and cookies n’ cream.
• Ice cream cones were invented during 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, when large demand forced an ice cream vendor to find help from a nearby waffle vendor. 
• Over her entire lifetime, one dairy cow can produce enough milk for 9,000 gallons of ice cream!
• Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) loved to eat snow flavored with nectar and honey.
• Hawaii is a home to an “ice cream bean”, fruit which tastes like vanilla ice cream.
• One cone of ice cream can be finished off in 50 licks.
• California is the largest producer of ice cream in United States. During 2003 they made 121 million gallons of this cold treat.
• It takes 12 gallons of milk to create one gallon of ice cream.
• Ice cream “Brain Freeze” effect is triggered when cold ice touches the roof of your mouth, which causes blood vessels in the head to dilate.

You'll find more ice cream fun facts at this link.

Now, for the important information about where you will find free ice cream on National Ice Cream Day (July 19, 2015) . . . 

• Carvel - Buy one get one free soft serve ice cream cones. Any size, any soft serve flavor.
• Cold Stone Creamery - Members of the My Cold Stone Club (free rewards club) can get a free ice cream "creation" with the purchase of one. The deal also applies to Cold Stone's shakes, smoothies, and its new frappés.
• Friendly's - To celebrate both its 80th birthday (July 18th) and National Ice Cream Day, participating Friendly's locations will give you a free scoop of ice cream in a cup or a cone, when you buy one for $1.99. 
• Dippin' Dots - Participating Dippin' Dots franchise locations (at malls and shopping centers) will be handing out free samples of its newest flavor, Redberry Sherbet, which is made with Sour Patch Kids.
• Baskin-Robbins - Free upgrade to a waffle cone on double scoop ice cream cones.
• Dairy Queen - Depends on each store - check to see if they are offering any specials!
• Sonic Drive-In - You can get free desserts by creating a My Sonic account. Plus, the fast food joint offers half-price milkshakes after 8 p.m.

What isn't there to love about ice cream? I plan to enjoy National Ice Cream Day . . . my favorite ice cream is Mint Chocolate Chip . . . what is your favorite?