When is National Ice Cream Day?
National Ice Cream Day 2027 is on Sunday
Sunday, July 18, 2027
The third Sunday in July. That's in 287 days.
until National Ice Cream Day begins, in your time zone
National Ice Cream Day is a midsummer celebration of ice cream and the dairy farmers and makers behind it. It traces back to a 1984 act of Congress and a proclamation by President Ronald Reagan, and it falls in the middle of National Ice Cream Month.
About National Ice Cream Day
National Ice Cream Day celebrates one of America's best-loved desserts, from soft serve at a roadside stand to small-batch scoops made by local creameries. It sits inside National Ice Cream Month, which runs through all of July.
Both observances began in 1984. Congress passed Senate Joint Resolution 298, sponsored by Senator Walter Dee Huddleston of Kentucky, designating July 1984 as National Ice Cream Month and July 15, 1984, as National Ice Cream Day. A matching House resolution was introduced by Representative Kika de la Garza of Texas. President Ronald Reagan signed Proclamation 5219 on July 9, 1984, calling on Americans to mark the occasions with appropriate ceremonies and activities. The proclamation praised ice cream as a wholesome food and pointed to its importance to the nation's dairy farmers.
Strictly speaking, the resolution and proclamation covered only 1984. July 15 of that year was the third Sunday of the month, and the dairy industry has kept that pattern ever since. The International Dairy Foods Association, the trade group for US dairy processors, promotes the third Sunday in July as National Ice Cream Day and hosts an annual ice cream party on Capitol Hill during the month.
The day is not a public holiday. Shops and creameries often mark it with new flavors or community events.
Sources: The American Presidency Project: Proclamation 5219, National Ice Cream Month and National Ice Cream Day, 1984, Congress.gov: S.J.Res.298, 98th Congress, International Dairy Foods Association: July is National Ice Cream Month. How we check dates.
How to mark National Ice Cream Day
- Make ice cream at home, with a machine or with the no-churn method of whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk.
- Visit a local creamery or family-run scoop shop and try a flavor you've never ordered.
- Host an ice cream social with toppings everyone brings to share.
- Read up on the history of ice cream in America and the dairy farms in your state.
- Treat the volunteers or staff at a community pool, summer camp or library reading program.
National Ice Cream Day dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Sunday, July 20, 2025 |
| 2026 | Sunday, July 19, 2026 |
| 2027 | Sunday, July 18, 2027 |
| 2028 | Sunday, July 16, 2028 |
| 2029 | Sunday, July 15, 2029 |
| 2030 | Sunday, July 21, 2030 |
| 2031 | Sunday, July 20, 2031 |
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Frequently asked questions
When is National Ice Cream Day 2027?
National Ice Cream Day 2027 is on Sunday, July 18, 2027. It falls on the third Sunday in July. In 2028, it is on Sunday, July 16, 2028.
Who created National Ice Cream Day?
Congress created it with Senate Joint Resolution 298, sponsored by Senator Walter Dee Huddleston, and President Ronald Reagan proclaimed it on July 9, 1984. The original designation was for July 15, 1984, and the dairy industry has kept the third Sunday in July since.
Is July National Ice Cream Month?
Yes. The same 1984 resolution and proclamation named July as National Ice Cream Month, and the International Dairy Foods Association still promotes it every July.
Is National Ice Cream Day a public holiday?
No. National Ice Cream Day is an observance, not a public holiday, so schools, banks, government offices and most businesses keep their normal hours.