Toro Loco will kick off Cinco de Mayo week with a Farmington Valley Relay for Life Fundraiser on May 1, rolling out signature purple dishes at two of chef Tony Camilleri’s restaurants through May 15.

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Once again, chef Tony Camilleri will leverage his local restaurants – Toro Loco and Toro Mexican Street Food – to raise money in the fight against cancer.

His restaurant group, known for their Mexican- and Spanish-style tapas, will be kicking off Cinco de Mayo week on Sunday May 1, with a day-long fundraiser in support of the Farmington Valley Relay for Life, which has been combined with the West Hartford Relay for Life team. The restaurants will feature a signature drink and dish in purple, The American Cancer Society’s official cancer awareness ribbon color. A portion of the proceeds from these items will be donated back to the cause.

Students from Irving A.Robbins Middle School recruited the restaurant’s co-owner and chef Tony Camilleri to embrace Farmington Valley’s biggest fundraiser, Relay for Life back in 2020, and since then have worked together to raise the most funds ever through a restaurant. The team “Candy Land for a Cure” is in their third year of raising funds together for Relay for Life and is excited to partner with Chef Tony once again.

“Why mess with success? The Candy Land for a Cure team crushed it last year with their fundraising enthusiasm, and my restaurant group was absolutely up for helping with this incredible cause again,” said Camilleri, who opened Toro Loco on Jan. 14, 2020 with partners Stretch Altenhein and James LaFond. “Cancer affects everyone, everywhere. So, with two new restaurants in West Hartford now, we decided to expand the fundraiser and make the menu items available in both towns.”

To celebrate the Cinco De Mayo week kick-off fundraiser, Camileri will feature a signature Relay for Life taco featuring blackberry chamoy “bbq” chicken with pickled red onion and a purple cabbage and charred Pablano slaw. As a hat-tip to the Relay for Life Team promoting the fundraiser, Candy Land for a Cure, the drink will pay homage to the use of candy in Mexican Street food. The Grape Crush Margarita will consist of grape and blackberry infused tequila with lime agave and a sour patch kid garnish. Items will remain on the menu for two weeks after the event at the Farmington location.

Twenty percent of the day’s proceeds will benefit the Farmington Valley’s Relay for Life. The Farmington location is 1274 Farmington Avenue and will be open on Sunday from noon to 10 p.m. on May 1. In West Hartford, Toro Mexican Street Food is located on Raymond Road. For more information on the restaurants: Toro Loco and Toro Mexican Street Food, as well as Toro Taberna on Oakwood Avenue in West Hartford, or to view their menu visit www.torolococt.com. To learn how to get involved in Relay for Life of Farmington Valley visit the team’s fundraising page go to Candy Land for a Cure.

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