Easter Parade & Egg Hunt 2024
April 5, 2024 | By Gordon Miller and Lisa Scagliotti Waterbury Rotary Club’s annual rite of springtime last weekend managed to fall right in between spring’s two giant snowstorms as hundreds of youngsters and their family members met up at Pilgrim Park for the Easter Parade and Egg Hunt.
Bunnies join the parade down Stowe Street. Photo by Gordon Miller
The event kicked off at Brookside Primary School with a short parade down Stowe Street, along Main Street and across Park Row to the big grassy field behind the offices at Pilgrim Park. Two costumed Easter Bunnies mingled with the crowd and were popular for photos — some participants may have been a little reluctant and skeptical of the sight.
And while Rotary volunteers may spend hours carefully packing thousands of little plastic eggs with candy treats (some with notes to exchange for special prizes), the collecting is all over in a few minutes.
In mere minutes, thousands of candy-filled plastic eggs scattered across the field disappear into baskets. Photo by Lisa Scagliotti
Arranged by age, groups of eager children clutching baskets, bags and assorted festive containers line up behind the “Caution” tape while they wait for the signal to go. It’s common to see parents and older siblings in the crowd getting into the spirit wearing bunny ears as they cheer the little ones on.
This year the crowd was several hundred strong under sunny skies with a brisk wind.
The latter was perfect for those who found the shiny plastic eggs with notes for a prize — among them were kites and several opened them on the spot to give them a try once the hunt was done.
Click to enlarge the photos below.
