The first day of spring in the Charlotte metro area is traditionally marked by the arrival of free frozen desserts from major national chains. According to local reports, on March 20, participating locations of Dairy Queen and Rita’s Italian Ice offer complimentary treats to celebrate the changing season. These promotions are highly anticipated annual events, often drawing significant crowds and distributing hundreds of thousands of free items within a single day.
The specific details of these offers—including eligibility requirements, participating locations, and redemption methods—vary between the two brands. While Dairy Queen focuses on a traditional cone giveaway at non-mall locations, Rita’s Italian Ice utilizes a multi-day celebration that includes free product distribution and a digital sweepstakes entry for app users.
Dairy Queen Free Cone Day
Dairy Queen designates March 20 as "Free Cone Day" annually. This promotion is strictly limited to the first day of spring and is subject to specific operational guidelines.
Offer Details and Restrictions
Participating Dairy Queen locations offer a free small vanilla cone to customers. Key restrictions apply to this offer: * Product: The free item is specifically a small vanilla cone. * Participating Locations: The offer is valid only at participating, non-mall locations. Mall-based Dairy Queen outlets generally do not participate in this promotion. * Availability: The free cone is available all day on March 20, while supplies last. Once a location runs out of product, the promotion ends for that store. * Limitations: There is a strict limit of one free cone per customer. The offer is not valid on delivery orders or mobile orders placed through the app; it requires an in-person visit to a physical location.
Charlotte Area Locations
Based on reports regarding the March 20, 2025, celebration, the following non-mall Dairy Queen locations in the Charlotte area are noted as participating in the free cone event: * 1431 Central Avenue, Charlotte * 2732 Wilkinson Blvd., Charlotte * 108 S. Sharon Amity Road, Charlotte * 3020 Prosperity Church Road, Charlotte * 7015 Wilkinson Blvd., Belmont * 1819 Matthews Township Pkwy, Matthews * Carolina Mall, Concord * 223 Medical Park Road, Mooresville
Consumers are advised to verify participation with specific locations, as mall outlets (such as those inside Carolina Mall) are excluded from the free cone promotion despite being listed in general location directories.
Rita’s Italian Ice First Day of Spring Celebration
Rita’s Italian Ice has maintained a long-standing tradition of celebrating the first day of spring, which has evolved into a multi-faceted promotion involving free product distribution and digital engagement.
Offer Details
On March 20, participating Rita’s locations give away a free Italian ice. The specific parameters of the giveaway include: * Product: Customers receive one complimentary Italian ice. * Serving Size and Packaging: The free ice is served in a 6-ounce limited-edition First Day of Spring cup. * Flavor Selection: Flavor choices vary by location. A notable new flavor introduced for the season is SKITTLES Italian Ice, which can be topped with SKITTLES POP’D freeze-dried candies.
Sweepstakes and App Integration
Rita’s extends the celebration beyond the physical store visit through a digital sweepstakes. This promotion requires the use of the official Rita’s Ice App. * Entry Method: App users can enter the promo code "FDOS25" under the "Offers" tab. * Prize: Participants are entered for a chance to win "Free Rita’s Italian Ice for a Year." * Eligibility: The sweepstakes is open to 30 winners. * Timeline: The entry window runs from March 17 through 11:59 p.m. PT on Sunday, March 23, 2025.
Historical Context and Volume
Reports indicate that Rita’s has been performing this giveaway for over 20 years (with some sources citing over 30 years). The scale of the event is substantial; in previous years, the company reportedly gave away nearly one million cups of ice during a nine-hour period.
Other Seasonal Promotions
While the primary focus of the first day of spring is frozen treats, other seasonal freebies and deals are occasionally highlighted by local deal aggregators. These include: * Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day: Often scheduled in early April (specifically noted as April 8, 2025, in one report), this event offers free scoops of ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sorbet at participating locations. * Pizza Promotions: Local deal sites have occasionally highlighted specific pizza giveaways, such as a promotion for a free 4-slice Deep!Deep! pizza and a 20-ounce Pepsi product to celebrate sports achievements. However, these are not annual "first day of spring" traditions and are event-specific.
Conclusion
The first day of spring in Charlotte is defined by two major frozen dessert promotions: Dairy Queen’s Free Cone Day and Rita’s Italian Ice giveaway. Dairy Queen offers a single free small vanilla cone at non-mall locations, strictly limited to one per customer and subject to supply availability. Rita’s offers a free 6-ounce Italian ice (flavor selection varies by location) and provides app users the opportunity to enter a sweepstakes for free ice for a year. Both promotions are time-sensitive, occurring exclusively on March 20, and consumers should be aware of location exclusions, particularly regarding mall-based Dairy Queen outlets.