June 14, 2026:
- 6,000 cups of ice cream
- 1,200 root beer floats
- 400 slices of ice cream cake
- 1,250 ice cream sandwiches and other ice cream novelties
June 10, 2026:
Scoops, smiles, and bipartisan camaraderie will return to Capitol Hill this summer as the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) hosts its 42nd Annual Capitol Hill Ice Cream Party on June 10.
One of Washington’s longest-running summer traditions, the Capitol Hill Ice Cream Party draws thousands of attendees each year, including members of Congress and leaders from across the executive branch. The event celebrates America’s favorite frozen dessert while offering a rare, lighthearted opportunity for lawmakers, staff, and policy leaders to connect outside the halls of government. Guests will enjoy a broad assortment of classic and creative ice cream favorites, from rich traditional flavors to sandwiches and floats.
“IDFA is proud to host an event that says thank you to the many public servants who work every day on behalf of the country,” said Michael Dykes, president and CEO of IDFA. “Ice cream has a way of cutting through divisions and creating moments of shared enjoyment. That spirit is what makes this event special year after year.”
Top 5 flavors among the general American public:
- Chocolate
- Butter Pecan
- Vanilla
- Cookies and Cream/Oreo
- Caramel/Salted Caramel
How does this lineup compare to previous years? You can find results from the 2024, 2022 and 2019 surveys on IDFA’s website.
Responses differed when IDFA asked staff on Capitol Hill the same questions, but with more overlap in favorite flavors as compared to previous surveys.
Top 5 flavors among Capitol Hill staff:
- Cookie Dough
- Cookies and Cream/Oreo
- Mint Chocolate Chip
- Coffee
- Peanut Butter/PB Cup
When asked what flavors best describes the U.S. Congress, 46% among Capitol Hill staff picked “Rocky Road: Anything but Smooth.”
Other popular responses were “Cookies n’ Cream: Greater than the Sum of its Parts” and “Banana Split: Split Down the Middle.”
IDFA Ice Cream Stats:
- U.S. ice cream makers contribute $11.6 billion to the U.S. economy and support 27,600 dairy industry jobs, according to IDFA’s Dairy Delivers economic impact report.
- According to a 2026 IDFA survey done in partnership with Morning Consult, 97% of Americans love or like ice cream.
- In that same survey, Americans shared their top five ice cream flavors: chocolate (38%), vanilla (25%), cookies and cream (23%), caramel / salted caramel (22%), chocolate chip (22%), and cookie dough (21%).
- In a survey of U.S. Capitol Hill staffers, when asked what flavors best describes the U.S. Congress, 45.9% of respondents picked “Rocky Road: Anything but Smooth.” Other popular responses were “Banana Split: Split Down the Middle” and “Cookies n’ Cream: Greater than the Sum of its Parts.”
- The average American eats roughly 18 pounds of ice cream each year, or about 4 gallons.
- Sweet and savory bakery-inspired flavors and inclusions delighted judges at the 2025 IDFA Innovative Ice Cream Contests.
- Fortune Business Insights estimates the global ice cream market will reach $151.96 billion in 2034, up from $82.70 billion in 2025—a 82% jump in less than a decade due to the world’s craving for ice cream.
- 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 20. 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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