More than 500 children, parents and grandparents gathered at the Palisades Recreation Center on Saturday for the second annual Eggstravaganza organized by Palisadian volunteer and Park Advisory Board member Susan McInerney.
Toddlers through children aged 8 played carnival-style games, beach ball through a hoop, beanbag toss and spin the wheel. There was face painting, and a craft table where children could make bunny masks.
After the reptile show, children visited the petting zoo that featured a llama, goat, pig, sheep, turtle and bunnies. Promptly at noon, children were allowed to hunt for eggs in one of four areas according to their age.
Sitting on the Field of Dreams before the egg hunt were Palisades resident Michelle Montiel and Venice resident Wonder Serra with their two-year-old daughters Charlie Montiel and Paige Toyton.
“It’s very organized and so nice and cheery,” Serra said.
“The [Easter] bunny was great taking photos with people,” Montiel said. “They would let you take photos with your camera, and if you didn’t have one, they would take it and send it to you.”
Once children gathered the plastic eggs, they turned them in for bags of candy, handed out by Palisades Park Board teen advisory council members.
Corpus Christi students Braun Levi (6) and Joe Lango (8) explained what was in the bag. “Lollipops, chocolate Nerds and Starburst,” Longo said. “M&M’s, chocolate eggs and Tootsie Rolls,” Levi added.
“I bought $800 worth of candy, and we had very few bags left,” said park director Erich Haas. “This is the first year we’ve charged [$5 per child]. It will help defray the costs, and any extra will be used for animal and puppet shows for our preschool day camp.”
At the Pacific Palisades Community Council meeting on April 11, McInerney will receive a Golden Sparkplug Award for her volunteer efforts for her second year of organizing this event and the Halloween “Spooktacular” carnival, which she has organized the past three years.
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