Sabin Gabra
Staff Writer
The city of La Verne hosted its first Eggcellent Adventure at Heritage Park on Saturday.
There was an egg hunt, arts and crafts, prizes, themed vendors, food booths and a visit from the Easter Bunny. The La Verne Heritage Foundation provided tractor rides for a small fee. The park was transformed into a festive wonderland with colorful balloons, streamers, and decorations.
Children ranging from toddlers to young teens were eagerly waiting for the signal to start the hunt. They were divided into different age groups, and each group was assigned separate times to egg hunt.
Excitement and energy of the children grew, with the occasional shout of, “I found one!” or, “Look at this one!” echoing through the park.
“The way the event is set up by age group really helps us parents a lot,” Gianna Pasley, a resident of La Verne, said. “It gives our children a fair shot to play and find their own Easter eggs.”
The organizers hid hundreds of colorful eggs throughout the park, including some golden eggs that contained special prizes. The children excitedly raced through the park, searching for the hidden eggs. Many of the older children were particularly competitive and strategic in their search, while the younger children were delighted to find even a single egg.
“This is our first time attending the Easter egg hunt, and we had a blast,” Jessica Valdez, a resident of La Verne, said. “My kids loved the egg hunt, and we all enjoyed the different activities and the festive atmosphere.”
The event was an excellent opportunity for local businesses to showcase their products and services. Local vendors set up booths at the event, offering everything from delicious food and baked goods.
“What I love about this community is how so many of us are involved,” Charlotte Elsher, a resident of La Verne, said. “There is a petting zoo that the volunteers put together for the kids and so much more fun activities for them to keep busy.”
Some of the more experienced hunters shared their tips and tricks with the younger children, giving them advice on where to look and what to watch out for. It was very heartwarming for the parents to see them help each other and work together to find as many eggs as possible.
“My son is a competitive egg hunter, and he was thrilled with the challenge of finding the eggs,” Liam Carter, a resident of La Verne, said.
Throughout the event, the Easter Bunny came for a visit. With children lining up to take pictures, many parents also took the opportunity to take family photos in front of the colorful Easter-themed backdrop.
“The Easter Bunny added to the magic of the event and made it more memorable,” Valdez said.
There were a lot of giggles around the park as kids were drawing, coloring and winning prizes as the Easter Bunny was strolling around. The music kept the crowd going as parents danced along with their kids.
“Egg hunts have been a tradition in our family,” Pasley said. “But the atmosphere and petting zoo was the icing on the cake.”
The community thanked the Rotarian family as they volunteered to help out and plan the day full of fun. With the success of this year’s event, everyone is already looking forward to next year’s hunt.
“What better way to start this month than with having a good time with family and friends,” Valdez said.
Sabin Gabra can be reached at sabin.gabra@laverne.edu.
Sabin Gabra, a freshman communications major with a public relations concentration, is a staff writer for the Campus Times.
Kim Toth, a junior photography major, is photography editor for the Campus Times and a staff photographer for La Verne Magazine. Her work can be found in Instagram at @kim_t_photos and @kimberlytothphotos.
