Free Rita's Water Ice Today!

I love the first day of spring. Winter is officially over (though we’ve had many a snowstorm in April here in the Northeast), and signs of warm weather are popping up all over. In the garden there are the blooming crocuses and daffodils, on the streets are people finally shedding their winter layer of coats, and at the local Rita’s Water Ice location, they’re finally opening for business again.

As is the tradition for the past 17 years, Rita’s is giving away free water ice (we called it Italian ice where I grew up) to celebrate spring. According to Rita’s, more than one million people are expected to “scoop up” this offer

A Philadelphia-born springtime tradition, the annual Rita’s giveaway is held from noon to 10 p.m. at more than 500 Rita’s locations in 17 states. Guests who visit their neighborhood Rita’s will receive one free, regular-sized, 10 oz. cup of Italian Ice to commemorate the beginning of spring.

In addition to giving away one free Italian ice today, you can enter for a chance to receive free water ice for a year. All you need to do is sample the new, secret-flavored Italian Ice, submit your suggested name for the Mystery Flavor and vote for your favorite name submission on the Rita’s website. The winner of the Mystery Ice Flavor Naming Contest will receive FREE Rita’s Italian Ice for one year. The contest begins on March 20 and ends on April 17, with the winner being announced on April 27 on the web.

Here’s the best part about today–my kids are off from school (it’s an in-service day for the teachers). That means we don’t have to wait until after school to walk downtown to Rita’s. We can go right after lunch.

My favorite Italian ice flavor is chocolate. What about you?