Drinking 101** El Camino Cantina Ritapalooza Festival

Tex-Mex wild child El Camino Cantina is flexing its Margarita-fueled muscles ahead of a five-week Ritapalooza festival across three states and showcasing 24 limited-edition flavours.

El Camino Cantina The Rocks in Sydney, South Bank in Brisbane and Fitzroy in Melbourne will become fully-fledged Margarita meccas from Monday 24^th October to Sunday 27^th November. The 24 flavours are available on rotation and served frozen and on the rocks. All flavours are luxed up to a premium, Cadillac-style Margarita, with a smooth, rich float of Grand Marnier. The following flavours are available: El Camino’s rockstar-style Ritas are available in 15oz and 24oz glasses, 2-litre Rita towers and 3-litre Rita balloons. Also available during Ritapalooza is the Metre Rita – a one-metre tasting paddle of 12, 50ml frozen flavours, as well as a Tasting Paddle of four 250ml flavours.

A line-up of flavour-packed, limited-edition food items are also on the menu, including new tacos flavours every week, which are available for $2 every Taco Tuesday; a revolving line-up of limited-edition wing flavours, which are 10 cents each every Wing Wednesday; and special fajita flavours that are half price every Fajita Thursday. The weekly specials are available with a drink purchase.

With a cult following across the country, the Tex-Mex minx is dialing up its trademark cool tunes throughout the festival, with DJs performing at all three venues every Friday and Saturday night.

Guests can indulge in the Palooza Party Package ($99 per person), which is a value-packed, three-course menu with a two-hour beverage package. The menu includes signature guacamole, sensational spicy buffalo wings served with blue cheese mayo, and limited-edition fajita flavours with all the Tex-Mex trimmings, including house-made tortillas, sour cream, cheese, rice, and refried beans. Crisp churros are served deliciously warm with chocolate and caramel sauce for dipping.

Throughout the festival, guests can participate in the Wheel of Fortune, with one spin for $2 and three spins for $5, and prizes including El Camino Cantina vouchers and Ritapalooza T-shirts.

El Camino Cantina Food & Beverage Director Molly Haranis said cult followers of the Tex-Mex cantina had waited over 24 months for Ritapalooza to return, and it promised to be a turbocharged event.

“We are turbocharging Ritapalooza this year with 24 flavours available, all as premium Cadillac Margaritas, and with cool vessels and tasting paddles available so guests can explore different flavours.

“It wouldn’t be a true El Camino Cantina experience without some new flavour-packed food items, so we’re working on a menu of limited-edition taco, wing and fajita flavours that will be announced each week.”

“El Camino Cantina is a Tex-Mex institution, and our Ritas are part of our winning formula, which also includes flavoursome food and a fabulous soundtrack. Ritapalooza 2.0 is a celebration of this unrivalled Tex-Mex trifecta.”