Ben & Jerry's on April 8 will bring back its annual Free Cone Day celebration, serving up free scoops of ice cream to fans around the world. 

Last year fans showed up in record numbers, helping Ben & Jerry's scoopers serve up over 1 million scoops of free ice cream.

"Free Cone Day has always been about gratitude – we want to thank our fans for being the best fans in the world with free ice cream and a moment of pure joy," said Dave Stever, Ben & Jerry's CEO. "This year, more than ever, we're reminded how powerful those small moments of happiness can be. We can't wait to connect with our fans over a scoop of ice cream on the most Ben & Jerry-est day of the year!"

Since its conception in 1979, Free Cone Day has been a way for Ben & Jerry's to give back to the community that helped it grow from a single Scoop Shop in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vt., to one of the most beloved ice cream companies worldwide. What started as a simple "thank you" from co-founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield to fans for helping them survive their first Vermont winter, where average temperatures reached a record low of 14.1°F and the winter season snowfall set a record of 52.9 inches (134 centimeters), Free Cone Day has turned into a global celebration, with fans lining up for free scoops in more than 35 countries.