The Tradition Remains Strong: Dairy Queen
Photo by Lindsey Morgan Photography
Glancing at the calendar with warmth in the air, spring is upon us… but not just the fresh air. March 1, is just a couple days away. For Murray locals, that only means one thing. Opening day of our Dairy Queen, the community tradition that has remained strong since 1949, and the unofficial beginning of the spring season in Murray.
Our Dairy Queen embodies the nostalgic nature you feel in many parts of our small town. Since opening its doors, the establishment has operated the same way, trickling down to the original recipe for the rich, tasty ice cream we all know and love.
Photo by @kimberlyhanberryshelton
If you’re new here, you might be asking “how is it different than any other DQ in the nation?”
For starters, let’s throw it back to the days where walk-up establishments were common instead of the modern drive-thru grill n’ chills as we know now. Up until 2020, our DQ was one of the only walk-up establishments still in operation throughout the U.S. until Covid, where our cherished local ice cream hot spot had to shift gears to accommodate to the pandemic. Is it still a walk-up establishment? No, but is it still nostalgic? Absolutely. The business made a major shift to carhop style, and at any point on March 1, you’ll see the parking lot full of cars with families ending their day with a sweet treat! Let’s not forget they STILL serve the original recipe, dated back to 1940 when the franchise began nationwide… even our local furry friends enjoy it!
Have you ever visited another town that truly enjoyed ice cream so much that they made a community-wide tradition out of it? Only in Murray! Locals count down the days until that first day in March, where they come rain or shine, cold or warm weather, to take part in this unexpected tradition.
If you find yourself in the area anytime between March 1 through October 31, pile into the car to drive down Main Street and order up your favorite DQ ice cream treat to enjoy among friends in Murray, KY!
