Not even a full minute elapsed when the last of thousands of candy Easter eggs were picked from the lower playground at Osoyoos Elementary School. (Richard McGuire photo)
It took a while to warm up, but many Osoyoos residents and visitors turned out Saturday for Easter Eggstavaganza in Osoyoos.
Events kicked off with the Rotary Pancake Breakfast in Town Square, but the biggest draw is always the Easter egg hunt in the lower playground at Osoyoos Elementary School. While it seems like milliseconds until all the candy Easter Eggs are scooped up by eager children, we timed it this year. It was actually about 45 seconds. Still fast though!
There were fun games and children’s events at Town Square and as always, the Osoyoos volunteer firefighters were raising money for the Canadian Cancer Society by getting their heads shaved and selling hot dogs. Some lucky youngsters got to try out the fire truck. (Richard McGuire photos)
Doug Matthews sizzles up some bacon for the Rotary Pancake Breakfast. Matthews had one of the warmer jobs on a chilly morning. (Richard McGuire photo)
Little Izabel Mercer, 2, catches a fish while her mother Amanda Mercer holds her at the fish pond. Cathie Baskett played “fish fairy,” putting age and gender appropriate “fish” on the end of the line. (Richard McGuire photo)
A split second after the “go” signal, children race out to gather candy Easter eggs in the hunt. (Richard McGuire photo)
Wearing bunny ears and whiskers, Mila Keller, 5, sits on Easter Bunny’s lap after the egg hunt. (Richard McGuire photo)
Wearing a beautiful blue Easter bonnet, Crystal Zimmerman sits on the Easter Bunny’s lap. (Richard McGuire photo)
Trinity Gray, 8, of Bridesville, looks at herself in a mirror after Miss Osoyoos, Emma Fernandes painted her face. (Richard McGuire photo)
Nerys Stuart, 10, of Osoyoos, gets her face painted by Taryn Aspell. (Richard McGuire photo)
Cassandra Farley, 10, visiting from Squamish, was petting a bunny in the petting farm when a male goose came up to her to give her a gander. (Richard McGuire photo)
With faces painted, children prepare to jump down the slide on the bounce castle. (Richard McGuire photo)
These girls took home ribbons for their beautifully decorated bikes in the Kiwanis Bike and Trike judging. From left are Alexis Strumpski, 4, and Kendra Strumpski, 7, both of Miday, and Trinity Marty, 7, of Edmonton. (Richard McGuire photo)
Adam Cebuliak, 1,and Vanessa Cebuliak, 11, of Richmond, tried out one of the fire trucks of the Osoyoos Volunteer Fire Department. Firefighter Casey Brouwer (left) helped them up. Brouwer had a head start for the head shaving event taking place next to them. (Richard McGuire photo)
Singer Mat Duffus had the children, and an Easter Bunny, up dancing to his music at Town Square. (Richard McGuire photo)
A sea of hands rises into the air to catch a bunny in a bunny toss led by singer Mat Duffus, left. At right, the Easter Bunny, who bore a resemblance to Ken Baker of the Osoyoos Times, wonders if he is next. (Richard McGuire photo)
Singer Mat Duffus brought members of the audience, including the Easter Bunny, up to jam with him. (Richard McGuire photo)
May Cassells, of Osoyoos, enthusiastically waves electric clippers at the head of firefighter Colin Lancaster. The Osoyoos firefighters were getting their heads shaved and selling hot dogs to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society. Cassells didn’t quite finish the job and for a while Lancaster was walking around looking like a mangy dog. (Richard McGuire photo)
The Easter Bunny, aka Ken Baker of the Osoyoos Times, gives firefighter Colin Lancaster a “hare cut.” The Osoyoos firefighters were getting their heads shaved and selling hot dogs to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society. (Richard McGuire photo)
Brooke Young, 7, of Osoyoos, imagines she’s driving the fire truck as Osoyoos firefighter Casey Brouwer keeps an eye on her. In past years a few children have played with the controls, perhaps in an attempt to drive off with the truck, so this year only a few lucky ones got to sit in the driver’s seat under close supervision. (Richard McGuire photo)
Children comb every inch of the lower school yard in an Easter egg frenzy scooping up the candy eggs. Some children wore bunny ears. (Richard McGuire photo)
Children had different ways to carry their Easter egg loot in the Easter Eggstravaganza egg hunt. Some used hands, others pockets, some brought grocery bags, others buckets or Easter baskets. (Richard McGuire photo)
Madison Mather, 8, visiting from Vancouver, took one of the first-place ribbons for her beautifully decorated bike in the Kiwanis Bike and Trike Judging. (Richard McGuire photo)
