National Iced Tea Day – June 10

When the summer sun starts scorching, nothing quenches American thirst quite like a tall glass of iced tea. It’s fitting, then, that June 10 is designated as National Iced Tea Day. This cool and refreshing holiday celebrates the classic beverage that’s a staple from Southern front porches to big city cafés.

Iced tea in its many forms – sweet or unsweet, lemony or minty, black or green – is deeply embedded in U.S. culture. On this day, tea lovers across the country raise a chilled glass to the history, versatility, and pure pleasure of iced tea. Whether you fancy a mason jar of Southern sweet tea or a trendy bubble tea, National Iced Tea Day is about savoring that perfect balance of brewed tea and ice, and maybe learning a thing or two about how this beloved beverage became an American favorite.

How to Celebrate National Iced Tea Day

Celebrating National Iced Tea Day is a refreshing endeavor. Here are some ideas to steep in:

Brew Your Own Pitcher

It’s as simple as it sounds – make a big batch of iced tea at home. You can do this the classic way by brewing hot tea (8-10 tea bags or 2 tablespoons loose tea in about 2 quarts of water), letting it steep to desired strength, then cooling it down and pouring over ice. Or try the “cold brew” method: steep tea bags in cold water in the fridge overnight for a smooth, less bitter tea. For a fun twist, make sun tea – fill a clear jar with water and tea bags and leave it in a sunny spot for several hours. It’s almost magical to watch the sun gently brew the tea (just be mindful to consume sun tea fairly soon and keep everything clean, as warm water sitting out can occasionally develop bacteria).

Experiment with Flavors

Why not venture beyond basic black tea? Use this day to try iced green tea with a little honey and ginger, or a hibiscus herbal iced tea that’s ruby-red and tart. Mix and match – a popular café trend is iced tea lemonades (half iced tea, half lemonade) known as an Arnold Palmer. You could even add fruit slices (peach iced tea with real peach slices, anyone?) or fresh herbs like mint or basil to your pitcher for extra flavor. National Iced Tea Day is the perfect time to channel your inner mixologist with non-alcoholic tea concoctions.

Sweet Tea Sampling

If you’ve never had genuine Southern sweet tea, make or seek some out on June 10. Authentic sweet tea is brewed strong and sweetened generously while the tea is still hot, ensuring the sugar fully dissolves. The result is a syrupy, amber brew often described as “liquid candy.” Many Northern or Western folks find it shockingly sweet, but it’s a cultural experience worth having. You can adjust the sweetness to your liking, of course. And if you’re already a sweet tea devotee, perhaps use today to see if you can convert a friend who “doesn’t get the hype” – or at least to share the love.

Visit a Tea Shop or Café

Lots of coffeehouses and restaurants highlight iced teas on this day. For instance, Teavana (when it existed) or local tea shops might have sampling events or discounts on iced tea drinks. Bubble tea shops are another angle – bubble tea (or “boba”) is the popular Taiwanese iced tea with milk and chewy tapioca pearls. It’s a fun, flavorful way to enjoy iced tea, especially among younger crowds. On Iced Tea Day, maybe try that taro milk tea with boba you’ve been curious about, or a refreshing matcha green tea with pearls.

Since iced tea is often about leisurely enjoyment, perhaps set up an afternoon break for yourself. Find a shady spot on your porch or by a window, pour a tall glass over ice, and just relax. Invite neighbors or colleagues to join if you can – an “iced tea break” can be a lovely social pause in a busy day. In the age of constant hustle, sipping iced tea can be almost meditative, a throwback to a slower time. And as you sip, you might appreciate how something as simple as chilled tea has woven itself into daily life and even history (remember, without iced tea, Long Island Iced Teas – the cocktail – wouldn’t exist either, and that’s a whole other story).

Iced Tea Recipes and Tips

• Never Cloudy: Let hot tea cool before refrigerating to prevent cloudiness. A pinch of baking soda can also keep tea clear and reduce bitterness.
• Fruity Iced Tea: Brew black tea and add peach slices and mint while it’s hot. Let cool, strain, and serve for a subtly fruity tea.
• Sun-Brew Safety: Brew sun tea no longer than 3–4 hours. Wash jars well and refrigerate promptly for safety. Or cold brew in the fridge instead.
• Sweeten Smartly: Use honey, stevia, or simple syrup to avoid grainy sugar. Infuse syrup with ginger or mint for extra flavor.

Also, explore loose leaf blends for more complex iced teas. Herbal and caffeine-free options like hibiscus, rooibos, and chamomile are great alternatives for summer sipping. Thai iced tea and Indian iced chai offer international flair for the adventurous palate.

History of Iced Tea

Tea itself has ancient roots, but iced tea is a relatively recent innovation. The practice of chilling tea took off once ice became easier to produce and store, and once Americans had access to plentiful tea. The earliest versions of iced tea in the U.S. were actually boozy – in the early 19th century, “tea punches” with green tea, sugar, lemon, and liquor were popular in Virginia and the South. However, what we think of as iced tea today – cold, non-alcoholic tea served in a glass – started appearing in the mid-1800s. Recipes for iced tea appeared in cookbooks in the 1870s. One famous early recipe from 1879 in a cookbook called Housekeeping in Old Virginia used green tea, steeped and then poured over ice with sugar and lemon. This is often cited as the first sweet tea.

The true breakthrough moment for iced tea’s popularity came at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. As legend has it, a heat wave struck during the fair. A British tea merchant named Richard Blechynden, who was offering hot black tea samples, decided to pour the hot tea over ice to entice the sweltering crowds. Fair-goers loved it, and iced tea became one of the fair’s big hits – right alongside other debuts like the ice cream cone. While some historians note that iced tea was already known in the South before 1904, the World’s Fair publicity ensured iced tea became a national phenomenon.

By the 1920s, iced tea was firmly entrenched in American life. It even had specialized servingware: the tall “iced tea glass” and long-handled teaspoon were designed because of iced tea’s popularity. The South in particular embraced sweet iced tea as a year-round drink – so much so that a 2003 Georgia state legislator humorously proposed a law that restaurants must serve sweet tea (that bill was a lighthearted joke, introduced after he couldn’t find sweet tea at a Chicago restaurant). Today, iced tea accounts for the vast majority of tea consumed in the United States (by some estimates, 75-80% of tea Americans drink is over ice). It’s available bottled, powdered, or freshly brewed at virtually every restaurant and café.

National Iced Tea Day likely originated with the tea industry. Lipton and other major tea brands have promoted June 10 as Iced Tea Day for a few decades now, using it as a marketing hook. The choice of June – early summer – is obvious, as that’s prime iced tea season. The day encourages people to make sun tea, try new tea flavors, or drop by eateries that often have deals (for instance, McAlister’s Deli has occasionally offered free iced tea on this date). Whether sweetened Southern-style or an unsweetened black tea with a slice of lemon, National Iced Tea Day is a toast to a drink that’s as American as apple pie, yet globally loved.

Fun Facts about Iced Tea

• Summer in a Glass: June is officially National Iced Tea Month in the U.S., with June 10 as its crown jewel.
• Sweet Tea Society: Summerville, SC, brewed 2,524 gallons of sweet tea in 2016, setting a world record in a giant mason jar nicknamed “Mason.”
• Legal Tea: A Georgia lawmaker once joked that not serving sweet tea should be illegal, after failing to find any in Chicago.
• Long Island Mystery: The Long Island Iced Tea cocktail contains no tea, but its color and name pay homage to the classic drink.
• Health and Hydration: Iced tea (unsweetened) is full of antioxidants and hydrates well, though sugar-heavy sweet tea should be enjoyed in moderation.

National Iced Tea Day Yearly Dates

Year	Date	Day of the Week
2025	June 10, 2025	Tuesday
2026	June 10, 2026	Wednesday
2027	June 10, 2027	Thursday
2028	June 10, 2028	Saturday
2029	June 10, 2029	Sunday