Get ready for a brain freeze, New York. ICEE is celebrating its first National ICEE Day on Tuesday, Aug. 18, by giving away free small ICEEs at participating locations.
The frozen drink brand said free small ICEEs will be available at more than 1,800 participating locations nationwide.
In New York, participating locations include AMC and Regal Cinemas movie theaters, as well as select Urban Air Adventure Park locations.
When is National ICEE Day?
National ICEE Day is Tuesday, Aug. 18.
Free small ICEEs will be available at participating locations while supplies last. To find a participating location near you, check ICEE's location finder.
Where can you get a free ICEE in New York?
Participating New York locations include AMC and Regal Cinemas movie theaters, along with select Urban Air Adventure Park locations throughout
the state.
Because participation varies by location, customers should use ICEE's online location finder to find the nearest participating location.
ICEE has been around for more than 60 years
Although this is the first National ICEE Day, the frozen drink has been an American favorite for more than 60 years. It also predates 7-Eleven's Slurpee by four years.
According to Kansas Public Radio, Omar Knedlik founded the ICEE Company in 1962 after partially freezing bottles of Coca-Cola at his Dairy Queen store in Kansas. The frozen drinks proved popular with customers.
Knedlik patented an ICEE machine that year and began selling ICEE-branded drinks. In 1966, 7-Eleven reached a licensing agreement with the ICEE Company to use its machines and began selling its own version of the frozen beverage.
“For decades, ICEE has been part of unforgettable moments for millions of fans, and National ICEE Day is our way of thanking everyone who has made the brand part of those memories,” Dan Fachner, president and CEO of J&J Snack Foods, ICEE's parent company, said in a news release.
How to enter to win an ICEE machine
After getting a free ICEE, customers can enter a social media contest for a chance to win prizes, including an “At Home ICEE Machine.”
To enter, share a photo of your free ICEE on Instagram or Facebook using the hashtag #NID2026 and tag @TheIceeCompany.
The winner will be announced Aug. 19 on ICEE's social media accounts.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: National ICEE Day 2026: How to get a free ICEE in New York
