In Moorhead, Minn., people line up for Dairy Queen ice cream at 6 degrees

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MOORHEAD, Minn. — Moorhead residents braved single-digit cold Sunday to take part in the annual March 1 opening of a 77-year-old Dairy Queen walk-up, an event that draws customers to wait for the first ice cream of the season even when winter has not loosened its grip. The Dairy Queen opened when the temperature was 6 degrees Fahrenheit (-14 Celsius), and patrons stood outside in hats, gloves and winter coats before placing orders at the windows.

The shop’s opening day has become a fixture for locals, with the annual March 1 start described as a tradition regardless of the weather. Owners Troy and Diane DeLeon said the heritage-store opening offers something familiar to look forward to, particularly during periods when people feel unrest around the world.

“It just says that we’re tough, and there are things that are really important to us,” said Jerry Protextor, a retired pastor who stood in line for a butterscotch milkshake and a chocolate-mint Blizzard. “It’s just a part of community.”

The DeLeons said the opening also functions as a “sense of unity,” describing it as a tradition for many families. In addition to the seasonal timing, they said the store’s approach to service and items contributes to why customers continue to show up in winter conditions.

At the opening, patrons could see snowy surroundings as they ate their treats, and the store’s “walk-up” setup remained focused on in-person ordering rather than apps or kiosks, the DeLeons said. The store typically closes in late October, making March 1 the first chance of the year to visit in person for the summer-like favorites.

An average of about 1,200 customers stop by on opening day, with some arriving before dawn in hopes of being first in line. Julie Bergseid arrived before 7 a.m. to be first in line after two years in a row as second, saying the timing makes the start of spring feel “momentous.” “Usually there’s a little bit of a line after a bit, so you gotta get here before they start,” Bergseid said. “It’s momentous that this is the start of spring, no matter what the temperature. This starts it, going to the DQ, getting your first ice cream of the season.”

Customers lined up for a range of treats, including items found only at the Moorhead store, according to the DeLeons. Troy DeLeon said the menu includes some discontinued Blizzard flavors, along with other favorites such as the Mr. Malty on a stick, a Curly Shake and a Monkey Tail, and he said the store keeps those items because the ingredients are available. “It’s just that we have always had and made those special treats through the years. Even though they’ve been discontinued, we still have them because we have the ingredients and why not make it?” Troy DeLeon said. “If you still have the ingredients, ‘give the customer what they want’ is our feeling.”

The tradition also draws families and visitors who take photos near a “Dilly bar” display at the store, a chocolate-coated ice cream treat created at the Moorhead location in the 1950s. The DeLeons said the store is “grandfathered to a point due to its age,” and that the focus stays on customer service and unique items, including a butterscotch milkshake that Protextor said can’t be found at other Dairy Queens in the area. “We have to go to the right Dairy Queen to do what she wants,” he said.

As customers ate under winter skies that still felt like “a summer day” in the sunshine, Troy DeLeon said this year’s conditions stood out from the more typical cold that can hover closer to zero or bring snow during past openings. “This is beautiful today. I mean, it’s a little chilly, but the sun’s shining, it will get a little warmer,” he said. “Typically it’s either snowing or probably closer to zero or below zero, so this is a beautiful day.”