Holding an Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday in Western Washington without at least one year ruined by bad weather is no small thing. Kirkland Kiwanis has found a way to do it more often than not during four decades at Peter Kirk Park.
One of the largest egg hunts in the city, the club members put out around 15,000 chocolate eggs in three different age sections, which are found within minutes by children and their sometime equally zealous parents.
Ron Olsen, a Kiwanis member of 12 years and past president, said that despite the unpredictability of spring weather, they had never had the outdoor event turn sour.
“It has gone well every single year regardless of the weather,” he said, describing the event as a “colorful frenzy.” “The kids always seem to go home happy.”
John Hurney, who has been a member since the 1980s, said the number of kids has definitely grown over the years. Though he said a decrease in the number of egg hunts in the area may have something to do with it, he also cited their ideal location at Peter Kirk Park in downtown and the work by Kiwanis to ensure the event runs smoothly. One way they have done that, he said, is by fine-tuning the time at which they put out the chocolate eggs. On sunny Easters, if they are put out too early they can melt.
“The best optimal situation is mild but not too hot,” he said. “The timing is delicate.”
Typically, he said they tend to place the eggs just minutes before the hunt actually starts.
Despite going on for four decades, Olsen said the egg hunt itself has not changed much, though one addition came after Hurney and Kiwanis Secretary Matt Gregory created the Builders Club at Kirkland Middle School, which is sponsored through Kiwanis. For the egg hunt, the students in the club dress up in bunny costumes, though former members now in high school sometimes volunteer as well, according to Hurney.
For an event that lasts roughly five minutes, however, there is a lot of preparation beforehand, Hurney said. In recent years they have needed city permits in order to continue holding it at Peter Kirk Park, as well as be concerned about potential liabilities.
“It’s extremely complicated today compared to the old days,” he said. “The people in the parks department are great, but it just changed everything.”
Another reason for the egg hunt’s continued success, Hurney said, is that it leads to other activities in downtown for families.
“The beauty of it is if it’s a nice day people just hang out afterwards,” he said. “It’s a family gathering participation thing. It’s a get a family out of the house day. Even when it’s rained, it’s been a good time for people. They seem to always have a good time.”
The hunt begins at 1:30 p.m. and is free to the public. Different areas of the park will be designated for specific age groups. The playground area will be for ages 1–4, the outfield of the baseball field for ages 5–7, and the west side of QFC for ages 8–12.
Other events for Easter weekend include specials at the Trellis Restaurant in the Heathman Hotel Kirkland. On April 5, people can enjoy brunch on Waterways’ Dining Cruises or listen to the Seattle Rock Orchestra at the Kirkland Performance Center.
For more information about these events, go to explorekirkland.com.
