Here's a video to explain it further.
Although this video only seemingly portrays it as an American event, it's held in the UK as well by independent comic stores, but not necessarily all. It's an event any store in the world can choose to take part of.
Images from FCBDs' website here - http://www.freecomicbookday.com/Home/1/1/27/985
Free comic book day is a great way to get people to physically get up and go to comic shops. It's usually those that are already interested in comics that know about it, but it also attracts new readers, and once they're introduced, they end up hooked for life. Perhaps not so dramatic as that but you do go in for your free comic and you usually stay and browse. As you usually have to buy a comic to get a free comic, you end up browsing for something anyway.
It's been running since 2002 and personally I only learnt about it a few years ago myself. About the same time I realised there was a comic store in Lancaster and since I've managed to catch 2 of them. The event attracts many people, often families who try and get their children into comics. As with comic conventions, fans will dress up as their favourite comic characters on this occasion.
Unfortunately for some, comics are heavily dominated by superheroes in the first place, so it's needless to say that the majority of the free comics are superhero comics. Again, I'm not saying I dislike superheroes but imagine if every film or novel was the same genre, that's what comics appear like to some; they need variety.
From my own experience the first FCBD event I went to I picked up The Walking Dead free comic. This collected some short stories of specific characters from the comic, some that had been printed before, but some that were exclusive to this free comic. This was great for me because I love The Walking Dead. If memory serves me right I'm sure that year there was a variety of genres available from the free comics. However this year at my local comic store the selection of free comics was lacking in variety. The only ones there were either superhero, or aimed at children from children TV shows. Which is great for the kids and superhero fans but I wanted something different. In the end, I picked up a the Guardians of the Galaxy one because of the upcoming film release. Unfortunately it didn't make much of an impression on me as I can't remember a single thing about it, but that's just me.
To round up, it's great publicity for comics and as far as I know, the only medium that does it; you don't get free novel day, free album day or free film day (I haven't checked though, but at the same time I've never heard of them).
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