Eugene’s Ben & Jerry’s scoop shops at 1239 Alder St. and 485 Coburg Rd. will serve free ice cream today from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.. Free Cone Day is part of an annual tradition, now in its 26th year, that Ben & Jerry’s shops around the world share with their customers to thank them for their support.
The two Eugene Ben & Jerry’s shops traditionally pick a charity to support on Free Cone Day. This year’s charity is Relay For Life, which raises money for cancer research. Customers who choose to donate to Relay For Life will receive “buy one, get one free” coupons to be redeemed on a future Ben & Jerry’s visit, in addition to their free ice cream cones.
Eugene franchise owner Gary Bertelsen said only 14 of the usual 36 flavors will be served on Free Cone Day in order to handle the massive crowd. He said last year close to 11,000 free cones were served at the Alder Street shop, which has served more ice cream during Free Cone Day than any other shop in the western United States for the past four years.
— Eva Sylwester