Children lined up to hug or give high-fives to two Easter Bunnies after the egg hunt last year. The bunnies were Ronda Jahn (left) and Ken Baker of the the Osoyoos Times. The two will be back this year hopping around in their bunny outfits. (Richard McGuire file photo)
The Easter Bunny returns to Osoyoos Saturday for the 22nd annual Easter Eggstravaganza.
Most events take place at Town Square, the park next to town hall, but the highlight, the children’s Easter egg hunt, will once again be held in the lower schoolyard at Osoyoos Elementary School.
“I’m looking forward to it,” said Shirley Baker, who is events co-ordinator this year for the Osoyoos Festival Society, which runs the event.
Highlights will include a pancake breakfast served by the Rotary Club of Osoyoos, as well as such activities for children as face painting by the Osoyoos Royalty, a petting farm, bounce castle and games where children can win prizes, said Baker.
As with last year, there is no Easter parade.
In previous years, the Easter parade drew fewer entries than the more popular Cherry Fiesta and Christmas Lite-up parades, which are also run by the Osoyoos Festival Society.
Baker noted that Easter comes early this year.
“Hopefully we’ll have some nice weather,” she said. “That is kind of a key.”
As of Monday, Environment Canada was forecasting 14 C and sunshine for Saturday, but five-day forecasts typically change.
Baker said the Osoyoos Festival Society has recently signed up new members, which means there will be new volunteers to help with the Easter event.
The Rotary Pancake Breakfast kicks off activities at Town Square and runs from 8 to 11 a.m.
There will be live music throughout performed by Mat Duffus.
From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., a number of family activities take place at Town Square. These include face painting, carnival games, petting farm, bounce castle, egg guessing contest and balloon modeling.
The highlight is the Easter egg hunt, which starts at 10 a.m. in the lower schoolyard at Osoyoos Elementary. This event usually lasts mere seconds as dozens of children scoop up candy Easter eggs from the field.
The event is for children aged 11 and under and they are divided by age group.
As in past years, Ken Baker and Ronda Jahn from the Osoyoos Times will be donning bunny outfits, posing for photos with children and giving out warm
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
