Winter storm can't stop annual tradition of Dairy Queen's opening day in Moorhead

May 22, 2023

MOORHEAD — Despite double-digit snow totals, the winter storm did not close everything.

The metro bared witness to Mother Nature unleashing a rage of snow overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, Feb. 28. But rain, shine, or winter storm, the ice cream machines still ran on March 1, and loyal customers still made their way to Moorhead's Dairy Queen.

"It's just what you do," said Steve Stremick. "This is where we live, Minnesota, you know."

Stremick is the first customer of the year, arriving when the windows opened at 10:00 a.m. for his medium hot fudge malt.

There's usually a long line in the first few hours of the season, but on Wednesday, only the hardcore loyalists braved the weather.

ADVERTISEMENT

The outdoor location at 24 8th St. S. in Moorhead has been around since 1949, it is grandfathered in, and known for being allowed to serve its own recipes, as well as for the hulking Dilly Bar statue outside.

"Yeah, we've been counting down ever since they closed in October, and we count down every year for this," said Moorhead resident Dan Biebighauser.

Owner Troy DeLeon said he needed to help drive a few of his employees to work. He said the conditions this opening day do not hold a candle to the storm they dealt with on March 1, 1996.

"We could hardly see the building across the street, it was snowing so hard," DeLeon described. "So this year, it's not that bad. It's just that this time, we got a lot more snow."

No matter how bad the winter storms get on opening day, they want to make sure brave souls can still get their curly shakes and chili dogs.

"That's just a tradition. It's been happening for years, and we just want to keep it alive," DeLeon said.

These arctic customers may opt to eat their ice cream in the car, but they're bundled up enough to wait in line for a blizzard.

ADVERTISEMENT