Relax! July is National Ice Cream Month! (copy) (copy) (copy) (copy)
This past week, we said goodbye to June Dairy Month for 2026, but we don’t have to close the book on our dairy farming friends altogether. July is National Ice Cream Month! We have 31 days full of frozen delight!
Ice cream is made from a combination of milk, cream, sugar, and flavorings, with a minimum of 10% milkfat, giving it a rich and smooth texture.
National Ice Cream Month is celebrated every July in the United States, with National Ice Cream Day observed on the third Sunday of the month.
National Ice Cream Month was officially designated in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan. The celebration originated from Joint Resolution 298 in the Senate and Joint Resolution 543 in the House of Representatives, which proclaimed July 1984 as National Ice Cream Month and July 15, 1984, as National Ice Cream Day. President Reagan signed the resolutions into law with Presidential Proclamation 5219, encouraging Americans to observe the month.
July is the peak of summer in the U.S., making it the perfect time to enjoy ice cream. Americans celebrate by indulging in their favorite flavors, trying new varieties, and participating in community events. Many ice cream brands, including Baskin-Robbins, Dairy Queen, Cold Stone Creamery, and Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream, offer special flavors, discounts, and promotions during this month. Grocery stores and local shops also feature sales and unique events to mark the occasion.
Ice cream has a long history, dating back to ancient times. Early frozen desserts were enjoyed by emperors in China’s Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD) and by Alexander the Great with flavored icy drinks. In the U.S., the first recorded mention of ice cream was in 1744, when Maryland Governor Thomas Bladen served strawberry ice cream at a dinner party. The first commercial ice cream factory was established in 1851, making ice cream widely available to the public.
Jacob Fussell, a Quaker and dairy entrepreneur, founded the factory in Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania to use surplus milk and cream from York County dairy farms, producing ice cream for mass distribution for the first time in the U.S.
Fun Facts and Statistics
• The average American consumes about 18 pounds (4 gallons) of ice cream per year
• In 2025, U.S. ice cream makers produced over 1.23 billion gallons of ice cream
• Ice cream companies contribute more than $11.6 billion to the U.S. economy, supporting over 26,700 jobs and generating $1.9 billion in wages
• Vanilla remains the most popular flavor, followed by chocolate, strawberry, mint chocolate chip, and cookies & cream
So have your spoons at the ready friends! Eat all the ice cream you want. We’ll make more!
Dr. Andy Overbay is the agriculture and natural resources extension agent for Smyth County.
