Sydney’s first-ever margarita festival has been announced – we’ll cheers to that!

Sydney’s favourite go-to Tex-Mex restaurant, El Camino Cantina, is serving up its latest initiative for all of those tippled tequila lovers out there.

Starting Tuesday 25 August and shaking up Sydneysiders plans until Saturday 12 September, The Rocks based venue will be transformed into an all margarita-themed three-week festival. Meet Ritapalooza – probably the only exciting news to come out of 2020.

Amidst the neon signage and the distinct yellow-plaid sombreros, El Camino Cantina will be refreshing Sydneysiders with 15 frozen margarita machines churning together some of Australia’s most iconic flavours including limited-edition creations such as Hubbabubba, Fairy Bread, Nerds, Coconut and Mojito. But let’s not forget our favourite everyday flavours – classic, mango, strawberry and tropical – all of which bartenders will be slinging on the rocks for guests who prefer them served over ice.

Transforming the Sydney CBD venue into a margarita mecca, visitors will also have a chance to take a shot at their own El Camino Cantina experience, thanks to a lineup of live music and fun activations.

To first awaken the senses, El Camino Cantina will be hosting a blind tasting competition at 6 pm daily. Here, participants will be tasting and guessing the flavours of six, 30mL margaritas for $10. The prize? A chance to win a double voucher for an El Camino Cantina Tex-Mex package – a three-course menu with two hours of margaritas, beer or wine.

Next up on the menu is the opportunity to take your love for margaritas to new lengths thanks to the Metre Rita ($25) – a one-metre tasting paddle of 13, 50mL frozen margaritas.

And if you think that you’d be better suited relying on luck than skill, throughout the festival guests can participate in the Wheel of Fortune with one spin for $2 or three spins for $5 to win prizes such as a Tex-Mex Fiesta voucher, a Metre Rita tasting paddle and even a bottle of 1800 tequila to take home.

Of course to appease your hunger, El Camino Cantina The Rocks will have two of their feisty fiesta-worthy menus available with both seeing the likes of spicy buffalo wings, sizzling adobo chicken fajitas and crisp churros with warm chocolate and caramel sauce to name a few. First up is the Palooza Party Package ($79 each) – three-courses of El Camino’s cult classic dishes with flowing margaritas; or to add a dash of luxury to your experience, the Deluxe Palooza Party Package ($99 each) is a must-have for premium margarita lovers.

Or, if you’d rather taco-about it, throughout Ritapalooza El Camino Cantina will have a range of limited-edition tacos available for $7 each. Come Tuesdays and you’ll score them for $4 each instead. Alternatively, each Wednesday guests can wing-it with traditional buffalo wings available for a whopping 10cents each with every drink purchase. Of course, if you’re up for the challenge and you think you can handle the heat, opt for the Wing Roulette; a basket of traditional buffalo wings, with just one hidden offering laced with super spicy Facemelter hot sauce. And if Thursdays have you feeling thirsty, you can grab a Fajita & Rita package for just $20!

So to help start your September on a spicy note, head on down to El Camino Cantina The Rocks for a scrumptious, shaken-up celebration.

El Camino Cantina Ritapalooza
When: Tuesday 25 August to Saturday 12 September 2020
Where: El Camino Cantina, 18 Argyle St, The Rocks NSW 2000
For more information: El Camino Cantina

Rather shake things up at home instead? Why not try making this Spicy Tabasco Margarita recipe? Does your at-home bar need a bit of sprucing up? These are the 10 essentials you need for your home cocktail bar.