Spring is here and one of the major Christian holidays celebrated at the start of spring is Easter.

Easter is important for it celebrates the resurrection of Jesus three days after his burial following his crucifixion.

Many Christians celebrate Easter by attending special worship services at their churches.

This is also a time when many families with young children color and decorated hard boiled eggs or purchase plastic-colored eggs and fill them with candy and treats for Easter egg hunts.

Over the years, egg hunts have become an annual tradition.

According to Britannica.com, “First Lady Lucy Hayes, wife of President Rutherford B. Hayes, is often credited with sponsoring the first Easter Egg Roll (an event where children and their parents were invited to roll their eggs on the Monday following Easter) on the White House lawn, in 1878.”

This year many local townships, clubs and organizations will be offering both traditional and nontraditional egg hunts and events for youngsters.

Those holding traditional egg hunts include:

·Laurys Station Volunteer Fire Company egg hunt for kids ages 1 to 12 will take place 1 p.m. April 8 rain or shine at 5314 Egypt Road, Laurys Station.

·The Kiwanis Club of Emmaus will have its egg hunt for kids ages 1 to 10 at 1 p.m. April 8 at Emmaus Community Park, 1330 Chestnut St., Emmaus. Rain or shine.

·Vera Cruz Community Association will hold its egg hunt at 1 p.m. April 8 at Mystic Chain Park, 3178 Main Road West, Emmaus.

·Kalmbach Park, 200 Cotton St., Macungie, for ages 1-9 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 8. Registration is required. To register, go to kalmbachpark.com.

·North Catasauqua Fire Department Charotin Hose Company egg hunt will take place 1 p.m. April 1 at North Catty Park, 701 Grove St.

·Coplay Fire Department will have its egg hunt for infants to age 11 at noon April 1 at Saylor Field, next to the Giant Food Store at Second and Kiefer Streets.

Those offering nontraditional egg hunts or events include:

·Upper Macungie Township, in partnership with Bears Repeating, will host a Bunny Hop Trunk Hunt 1-4 p.m. April 1 at Grange Park, 360 Grange Road. Rain date is April 8.

For more information, go to uppermac.org.

·The WK&S Railroad Easter Bunny Express train will depart every hour on the hour from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. April 1 and 2 from the station at 42 Community Drive, Kempton.

Registration is required. To register, go to kemptontrain.com.

·The PA German Cultural Heritage Center, 22 Luckenbill Road, Kutztown, will celebrate Easter on the Farm 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 1.

There will be two egg hunts one at 12:30 p.m.; the other at 2 p.m.

For more information, go to kutztown.edu/pgchc.

·Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, 1700 Mountain Road, Kempton, will have a Raptor egg hunt for kids ages 4-6 at 10 a.m. and ages 7-10 at noon, both on April 8.

Registration is required. To register, go to hawkmountain.org.

·Wildlands Conservancy, 3701 Orchid Place, Emmaus, will host its “Wild” egg hunt 10 a.m.-noon and from 1-3 p.m., both on April 1.

Registration is required. To register, go to wildlandspa.org.

·Macungie Memorial Park, 50 N. Poplar St., Macungie, will have its second annual Easter Festival from 3:30-7 p.m. April 2.

They will also hold an egg hunt for infants to age 10 from 4 to 5 p.m.

Wishing a Happy Easter to all.

Susan Bryant

editorial assistant

Parkland Press

Northwestern Press