Rita's giving away frozen freebies for 1st day of spring

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- It's a first day of spring tradition.

Rita's is serving up free Italian ice -- better known as water ice in Philadelphia -- to celebrate the start of the season.

Everyone who stops at a Rita's can get a free six-ounce cup with any available flavor on Thursday.

Among the options is Rita's new flavor: Skittles Italian Ice.

The chain is also adding Skittles Pop'd freeze-dried candies to its toppings lineup.