WASHINGTON, May 13, 2024—The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) announced today that the Capitol Hill Ice Cream Party will celebrate its 40th year in June as Washington’s most popular warm weather celebration. The party on the National Mall just outside the U.S. Capitol Building is one of Washington’s most anticipated for professionals working in food and agriculture, bringing together thousands of guests, including members of Congress and officials from the executive branch, in a fun event showcasing America’s favorite frozen treats. This year’s Capitol Hill Ice Cream Party will be held on June 12, 2024.

Whether your preference is a bowl of creamy chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce on top, or an ice cream sandwich, or a refreshing root beer float, the 40th Annual Capitol Hill Ice Cream Party will have a wide variety of America’s favorite ice cream treats. Over four decades, the event has become a bipartisan who’s who of Washington’s leading legislators and policymakers.

“IDFA’s Capitol Hill Ice Cream Party is our way of showing appreciation to the public servants, members of Congress and all the individuals working in Congress and within our federal agencies,” said Michael Dykes, IDFA president and CEO. “Ice cream is as bipartisan as you can get. And the ice cream party is an opportunity for us to all come together, share a few laughs, and enjoy America’s most popular frozen treat—ice cream!”

The 40th Annual IDFA Capitol Hill Ice Cream Party will take place at Union Square Park on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, June 12 from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. The park is located west of the Capitol in the area encompassing the Capitol Reflecting Pool and the Grant Memorial.

IDFA Ice Cream Stats:

  • IDFA will release a special edition of its national ice cream trends survey on May 22, including for the first time insights from Capitol Hill staff and legislators.
  • The average American eats roughly 20 pounds of ice cream each year, or about 4 gallons.
  • Fortune Business Insights estimates the global ice cream market will reach $97.85 billion in 2027, up from $71.52 billion in 2021—a 37% jump in less than a decade due to the world’s craving for ice cream.
  • U.S. ice cream makers contribute $11.4 billion to the U.S. economy and support 27,100 dairy industry jobs, according to IDFA’s Dairy Delivers economic impact report.
  • The majority of U.S. ice cream and frozen dessert manufacturers have been in business for more than 50 years, and many are still family-owned businesses.
  • National Ice Cream Day is Sunday, July 21. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day. In the proclamation, President Reagan called for all people of the United States to observe these events with "appropriate ceremonies and activities."
  • Thomas Jefferson is credited as the first American to write down an ice cream recipe.

More information about ice cream is available on IDFA’s website: www.idfa.org/news-views/media-kits/ice-cream.

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The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation’s dairy manufacturing and marketing industry, which supports more than 3.2 million jobs that generate $49 billion in direct wages and $794 billion in overall economic impact. IDFA’s diverse membership ranges from multinational organizations to single-plant companies, from dairy companies and cooperatives to food retailers and suppliers, all on the cutting edge of innovation and sustainable business practices. Together, they represent most of the milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cultured products, and dairy ingredients produced and marketed in the United States and sold throughout the world. Delicious, safe and nutritious, dairy foods offer unparalleled health and consumer benefits to people of all ages.

Media Contact

Matt Herrick

Executive Vice President, Chief Impact Officer