Ring in Easter with these 10 festive weekend celebrations
Easter is just around the corner, and we’ve rounded up 10 festive celebrations throughout the region, from an epic bunny battle against trolls and goblins to a golden egg hunt filled with real gold dust.
Sacramento River Train Easter Egg Express
March 24, 26 & 27 Hop aboard the Easter Egg Express, which follows the river from Old Sacramento and features a basketful of activities like Easter bag decorating and a live reading of Sierra’s Easter Train Adventure, written and illustrated by Davis-based author Shelle Hart. When the two-and-a-half-hour train ride reaches its ultimate stop at Elkhorn Landing, kids can hop off to greet the Easter bunny or use their freshly made bags during a park-wide egg hunt for tiny trinkets like candy and toys. The Easter bunny will join youngsters for pix on the way back. $29-$56. 10 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. 400 N. Harbor Blvd. West Sacramento. 800-866-1690. sacramentorivertrain.com
Easter Egg Hunt
March 26 For its 33rd annual Easter celebration, Cameron Park will be hosting an egg hunt featuring four golden eggs filled with actual vials of gold dust in honor of this year’s World Gold Panning Championships, which will take place in El Dorado Hills. Don’t let the kids fret if you they don’t find a golden egg; they can still win prizes like free ice cream scoops at Cameron Park Pizza Factory. Two Easter bunnies will ride in with the Cameron Park Fire Department to take photos with families and little ones can jump on a bounce houses or get their face painted with bunnies, eggs and flowers. Free. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Cameron Park Community Services District. 2502 Country Club Dr. Cameron Park. 530-677-2231. cameronpark.org
Easter Eggstravaganza
March 26 Let the kids cheer on the sideline as you flex your own egg-hunting skills in an adult egg hunt at Fair Oaks Park featuring a trove of big kid prizes including 85 gift cards to businesses like Starbucks, Jamba Juice and Trader Joe’s. Kids can get in on the action with their own egg hunt, train rides and carnival attractions like a lollipop tree (where kids can pluck off Dum Dums from a wooden tree), ring tosses, mini golf and chicken-themed Plinko—a twist on the classic game from The Price is Right. Prices vary. 8 a.m.-noon. Fair Oaks Park. 11549 Fair Oaks Blvd. Fair Oaks. 966-1036. fairoakspark.org
East Sacramento Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast and Easter Hunt
March 26 Fuel up the day before Easter at this brunch and egg hunt hosted by the East Sacramento Kiwanis, which will boast a breakfast of pancakes, sausages, fruit, coffee and orange juice. Afterward, send the kiddos out to McKinley Park for six age-separated egg hunts filled with goodies like chocolate eggs, salt water taffy and Tootsie Rolls. Plus, they can get their faces painted and, for 50 cents apiece, play carnival games like beanbag tosses. Free-$6. 6 a.m.-11:30 a.m. McKinley Park. 601 Alhambra Blvd. 220-2334. eastsacmidtownkiwanis.com
Egg-O-Rama and Pancake Breakfast
March 26 Wield a foam sword and fend off an army of trolls and goblins to retrieve a batch of eggs stolen from the Easter Bunny in this fantasy-inspired egg hunt hosted by local live-action role-playing society Mistyvale. After defending the Easter bunny’s honor, dig into pancakes and sausages or try your hand at carnival games like sack races, pluck-a-duck and a bunny toss (a festive take on the usual beanbag toss). A DJ will be mixing tunes and kids can walk away with small prizes like temporary tattoos and plastic figurines. $3-$5. 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Howe Park. 2201 Cottage Way. 927-3802. fecrecpark.com
Kids’ Easter Celebration
March 26 This big Easter bash at Sunrise Community Church in Fair Oaks features sweet treats from the Frenchy’s Waffles food truck like waffles covered in Nutella and strawberries. Traveling magician Uncle Al Skinner will also be on hand, while Sacramento River Cats mascot Dinger and the Easter Bunny will snap photos with fans. Plus, after a classic egg hunt, check out bounce houses, petting zoo animals, activities like puzzle making and face painting, and lessons on how to grow grass in a bag. Free. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Sunrise Community Church. 8321 Greenback Lane. Fair Oaks. 726-4642. scconline.cc
Spring EGG’stravaganza
March 26 Ring in spring with this massive Easter carnival in Elk Grove featuring attractions like a hula hoop show, pony rides, a petting zoo, bounce houses, face painting, carnival games like skee ball, and a ladybug release during which kids can free dozens of the dotted bugs into the park’s garden. The Cosumnes Fire Department will perform a bubble-wrap egg drop demonstration from their fire engine, while Mr. and Mrs. Easter Bunny and fairies rove the park taking photos with families. Fill up on food truck fare while youngsters search for golden eggs that can be redeemed for special gift baskets filled with goodies from local businesses and gift certificates to Sacramento Kings games, Fairytale Town and the Sacramento Zoo. Prices vary. 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Elk Grove Regional Park. 9950 Elk Grove Florin Rd. Elk Grove. 405-5300. yourcsd.com
Spring Celebration
March 26 At this West Sacramento festival, you can step in time with Zumba instructor Lucy Ramos and learn how to tie knots with West Sacramento’s Boy Scout troops. Plus, nosh on baked goods from West Sacramento’s Girl Scouts and join activities like face painting, egg hunts and tie-dying. West Sacramento Urban Farm agriculturalist Aimee Sisson will host a mock harvest tutorial while West Sacramento mascot Mooey the Cow will make the rounds. Local DJ Eric Romel will also officiate the egg hunts while mixing kid-friendly tunes. Free. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. West Sacramento Recreation Center. 2801 Jefferson Blvd. West Sacramento. 617-4770. cityofwestsacramento.org
Spring Eggstravaganza
March 26-27 Skip down the bunny trail to Fairytale Town for this annual springtime celebration, where kids can craft bunny ears, hunt for Easter eggs and shake paws with Peter Cottontail. Sacramento’s Puppet Art Theatre Company will also be, er, on hand performing Bunny Boot Camp, in which Lieutenant Longears and his bunny battalion must finish delivering the last Easter eggs before the Big Bad Wolf eats them all. $5.75. 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Fairytale Town. 3901 Land Park Dr. 808-7462. fairytaletown.org
Sacramento Easter River Cruise
March 27 Hop aboard this one-hour yacht ride along the Sacramento River featuring live narration from the ship’s captain about the river’s rich history and unique facts. The Easter bunny will be on board to greet guests as they munch on fare from Fat’s Catering, including hot dogs, peanuts and candy as well as personal bottles of champagne and specialty cocktails while overlooking Sacramento’s scenic views. $20. 12 p.m.-3 p.m. L Street Dock. 1206 Front St. 888-467-6256. hornblower.com
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