Thousands of people flocked to two local Ben & Jerry's ice cream shops Tuesday for the company's 29th annual Free Cone Day.
The giveaway benefited the Alachua County Public School Foundation for the fourth consecutive year. And on UF's campus, sweet news traveled fast.
At University Avenue location, the warm spring weather, sugary smells and the promise of a free frozen treat kept a steady line of students spilling out of the store and down the entire block.
"It always gets more crowded in between classes," Kelley Kostamo said. "And today is such a beautiful day."
Kostamo is the partnering specialist for Alachua County Public Schools. She and other volunteers scooped for tips to fund school programs. The ice cream was free, but a $1 donation bought a topping and $4 donation granted a waffle-cone upgrade.
Inside the cramped and buzzing store, customers could choose between imaginative flavors like Whirled Peace, Strawberry Kiwi Sorbet and Yellow Brickle Road. Some students immediately returned to the line for seconds.
"It's a little bit crazy because the line never stops," Kostamo said. "(The event) is always in spring around finals, hopefully just when people need a sugar fix."
Last year, the foundation raised more than $3,000, according to Kostamo's records.
Pete Zimek, the owner of the two Gainesville locations, estimated that the stores would see anywhere from 6,000 to 7,000 people take advantage of Tuesday's sweet giveaway.
But Free Cone Day isn't about making money, Zimek said, it's about giving. Even the regular staff at Ben & Jerry's volunteered its time for the day.
"This event happens in almost 800 stores in the world," he said. "…It helps our social mission come alive in Gainesville."
Much like UF, every department within the Alachua County Public Schools was asked to cut 10 percent of its budget. Kostamo said Free Cone Day is one of the largest fundraising events that the foundation can do with community support.
"Things are tight for some people, but I think they are generous. They'll give what they can," she said. "And we'll be happy with every cent that we didn't have yesterday."
