Fort Worth frozen custard favorite giving away free hot dogs for Fourth of July
The Fourth of July means barbecues, cookouts, hamburgers and hot dogs. And those of you who voted for Curly’s, the winner of our recent poll to find the best hot dog in Fort Worth, are in luck — the local custard shop is giving away free hot dogs on the Fourth of July.
Curly’s Frozen Custard (4017 Camp Bowie Blvd.) is celebrating its 23rd anniversary this year by giving away 230 hot dogs and free miniature American flags. First come, first served — the stand opens at 11 a.m., and owner Bourke Harvey said he expects to sell out by about 1 p.m.
The hot dog giveaway has been a tradition for Curly’s since 2020, after the pandemic put the lid on the Fort Worth institution’s annual hot dog eating contest. That year, the restaurant gave away hot dogs to the first 300 cars that went through the drive-thru, according to previous Star-Telegram reporting.
Since then, they’ve given away hot dogs proportionate to how long they’ve been open (220 dogs for 22 years, etc.) The custard stand opened July 12, 2002 in a former espresso stand a few blocks west of the museum district.
It’s July, so that also means Curly’s custard flavor of the month is Parker County Peach. The shop has three other base flavors of custard, in addition to several specialty concretes.
A Fort Worth favorite
It’s not just Star-Telegram readers who love Curly’s. Celebrities have been known to stop by the stand as well.
“Landman” actor Jon Hamm visited last year when he was in town filming Taylor Sheridan’s show about the world of West Texas oil rigs He ordered a mint chocolate chip frozen custard with KitKat.
How to get a free Curly’s hot dog on the Fourth of July
Just walk up to the custard stand or go through the drive-thru. No purchase necessary. First come, first served. One hot dog per person.
Location: 4017 Camp Bowie Blvd.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, July 4; regular summer hours are 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday
This story was originally published July 3, 2025 at 9:58 AM.
