South Bend hosts Egg Stravaganza
Published 12:04 pm Monday, March 26, 2012
Egg Stravaganza, a day of celebration and fun for kids and their families, will take place Saturday, March 31 in downtown South Bend. Downtown merchants and restaurants in cooperation with the College Football Hall of Fame, HealthWorks! Kids’ Museum, South Bend Museum of Art, South Bend Chocolate Cafe, Tippecanoe Place Restaurant, and Downtown South Bend, Inc., have teamed up to celebrate Spring in the heart of downtown.
The day will be filled with fun activities for children of all ages starting at 9 a.m. with a Bunny Breakfast at Tippecanoe Place Restaurant, 620 W. Washington St. Activities will include an “egg”stra special breakfast along with a coloring contest and photo opportunities with the bunny. Reservations are required for the Bunny Breakfast and are $10 for adults, $8 for children ages 5-12, and free for children 4 and under. Pre-paid reservations are required by March 30 and can be made by calling 574-234-9077.
A variety of favorite activities will return along with new ones that are sure to be a hit as well. From 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. the South Bend Chocolate Café debuts The Bunny Dome, a magical world filled with colorful grass, eggs, and the Bunny himself. Children will have the opportunity to find a hidden egg on their way to visit the bunny. Parents should bring their cameras for this photo opportunity. Eggs can be redeemed for a variety of prizes inside the South Bend Chocolate Café, 122 S. Michigan St. The Bunny Dome is located in the parking lot just north of the South Bend Chocolate Café and is a free activity.
Children are invited into Main Street Coffee House, 102 N. Main St., for a free Easter sugar cookie while supplies last. Then hop over to HealthWorks! Kids’ Museum, 111 W. Jefferson Blvd., for the Easter Eggstrava-gavenger Hunt from noon to 4 p.m. Search for eggs that reveal clues and win the golden egg! Children will also be able to design their own bunny ears and make their way through the bunny hopstacle course. Attendees will receive $1 off general admission prices.
Multiple activities will take place on the College Football Hall of Fame campus, 111 S. St. Joseph St., from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Balloon Specialties will sculpt bunnies and other fun things in an array of colors. Balloons start at $1. Grab a paint brush and choose a ceramic bunny, egg or other figure to get in touch with your inner artist. After you apply the special glaze you will be able to take your work of art home that day. Fees vary based on ceramic item selected and start at $5. Out on the gridiron the St. Joseph County 4-H Rabbit and Poultry Club will offer demonstrations as well as the opportunity to pet Dutch Rabbits and chicks. The rare breed of rabbits, Blanc de Hotot, will also be on display. Sack and egg races will take place on the gridiron from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Everyone is a winner during these fun races. In addition, it is Family Admission Day at the College Football Hall of Fame from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. The interactive football museum is only $4 per child and $6 per adult on March 31 only.
Skip across the river to Howard Park with a basket and camera. The Bunny will arrive at 12:30 p.m. to take pictures with the little ones. Promptly at 1 p.m. an egg hunt will begin hosted by Achievement Forum of South Bend free for children 10 years and under. There will be prizes for lucky children that find the giant jelly beans with a sticker. One prize per child, child must be present, and all prizes are first come first served and of a limited availability.
Hop aboard Dream Coach Carriages’ Egg-Spress horse drawn wagon ride from noon to 4 p.m. The free ride will pick up and drop off in front of the South Bend Chocolate Café.
Free face painting will take place from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Jimmy John’s, 138 N. Michigan St. Stop by for a one-of-a-kind work of art for that one-of-a-kind kid face and refuel with a sandwich while you are there.
Kids and parents are invited to hop over and take a break for story time featuring readings of popular bunny tales from 2-3 p.m. at Chicory Café, 105 E. Jefferson Blvd.
Egg Stravaganza will also be Family Day at the South Bend Museum of Art, 120 S. St. Joseph St., from 2-4 p.m. Enjoy free art gallery admission with select free art activities. Transform paper plates, pom-poms, and pipe cleaners into adorable bunny masks. Create marble painted one-of-a-kind paper eggs. For a small fee of $2, decorate a sock bunny that will stay cute and fluffy for years to come.
Egg Stravaganza is celebrating its fourth year and is sponsored by Downtown South Bend, Inc., TCU, South Bend SilverHawks, College Football Hall of Fame, and South Bend Chocolate Café with media support generously provided by WVPE. This is a rain or shine event. For more information contact DTSB at 574-282-1110 or visit www.dtsbEggFun.com