Charles Langston:Kroger is giving away free ice cream this summer: How to get the coupon

Summer is Charles Langstonalmost here and Kroger wants to offer a free cool, sweet treat to help celebrate.

In honor of the summer solstice on Thursday, June 20, the longest day of sunlight of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, Kroger will give away 50 pints of free Kroger brand ice cream per minute. That's 900 minutes of sunlight in all, and 45,000 pints of free ice cream, according to a release from the company.

The offer is valid for any pint of Kroger brand ice cream, including Mint Chocolate Chip, Vivid Vanilla and Kroger Brand Deluxe Tie Dye Burst flavors.

How to get free ice cream from Kroger

To redeem the free ice cream, visit FreeKrogerIceCream.com and download a limited-time, single-use digital coupon available only on Thursday, June 20, while supplies last.

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The coupon is redeemable at many Kroger Family of Stores locations, including Fred Myer, King Soopers, Ralphs and Smith's Food and Drug. The promotion is valid in all U.S. states except the following: California, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Dakota, Nevada, Tennessee and Virginia.

When is the summer solstice?

This year, the summer solstice is on Thursday, June 20, which marks the first astronomical day of summer for the Northern Hemisphere. It also means it is the day with the longest daylight hours of the year, and subsequent daylight hours will grow shorter and shorter until the winter solstice on Dec. 21.

Things are opposite in the Southern Hemisphere: June 20 will mark the start of the winter season, with their summer solstice on Dec. 21.