/R E P E A T -- Dairy Queen® Canada's 75th Anniversary Kicks Off with Free Cone Day/

Donations will be accepted for Children's Miracle Network^®

BURLINGTON, ON, March 2, 2015 /CNW/ - Ready for the end of the long, cold, record setting winter? Check. Dreaming of springtime on the horizon? Check. Celebrating the end of winter and beginning of spring with a FREE cool treat? Check – thanks to Dairy Queen^® Canada.

In a true fan celebration and with the ultimate fan engagement in mind, Dairy Queen Canada kicks off its 75th anniversary this spring with a Free Cone Day on Monday, March 16. On that day, the 75th day of the calendar year, participating Dairy Queen and DQ Grill & Chill^® locations will serve fans a free small vanilla soft-serve cone with the signature curl on top (limit one per customer).

"This is all about connecting with our fans and not just about telling them, but showing them how much we appreciate their loyalty. After all, our fans have been supporting us for 75 years, so we thought it would be fun to bring the celebration to them," said Candida Ness, Senior Director of Marketing for Dairy Queen Canada. "We think this is a great day for our fans and our system. We can't wait."

"DQ^® holds a very special place in the hearts of our fans and we appreciate that. So we are renaming our anniversary to a 'fanniversary' in their honour," said Ness. "But Free Cone Day is just the beginning. We will surprise and delight our fans year-round with food and treat innovations that they have come to expect from us. We're extending the celebration beyond Free Cone Day because it's about more than just one day. It's about the people that have been making the Dairy Queen brand a part of their lives for almost a century."

Soft serve is part of DQ Canada's DNA and the taste is unmatchable. The DQ soft-serve cone fans have come to love is one of the most recognized treats in the world. It's fondly referred to as the "cone with the curl on top."

During Free Cone Day, DQ Canada is also requesting donations for Children's Miracle Network, which raises funds to help save and improve the lives of kids treated at 170 children's hospitals across the U.S. and Canada. Over the last 30 years, the Dairy Queen system has raised more than $100 million for Children's Miracle Network member hospitals in local communities.

For more information about Dairy Queen Canada, visit DairyQueen.ca. Connect with DQ on Twitter using #LOVEmyDQ and at Twitter.com/DQCanada. Visit the DQ Canada Facebook fan page at Facebook.com/dairyqueencanada.

SOURCE Dairy Queen Canada

Stephanie Mustachi, Media Profile, [email protected], 416-342-1808