The hunt will be on for thousands of colored eggs — both hard-boiled and prize-filled plastic — at egg hunts across the North Olympic Peninsula this weekend.
Each year, numerous egg hunts and other Easter activities are presented in Clallam and Jefferson counties.
The largest hunt on the Peninsula is generally the KONP Easter egg hunt, which this year will be at the Clallam County Fairgrounds on Saturday morning.
“The egg hunt begins at 9 a.m. sharp, and all of the eggs are gone within minutes. Don’t be late,” said Kim Hughes, KONP radio sales representative and an organizer of the 38th annual egg hunt.
An estimated 1,700 treat-stuffed plastic eggs have been prepared for the hunt at the fairgrounds at 1608 W. 16th St. in Port Angeles.
They will be hidden in sections determined by age group at the log cabin near the red gate entrance on West 16th Street.
The egg hunt is free for those 8 and younger, and hundreds of young egg-seekers are expected to participate, Hughes said.
Children must have their own baskets for collecting eggs.
The Easter Bunny will attend from 8:30 a.m. until the event closes to greet children and pose for photos.
A drawing for toys and prizes will be held immediately after the egg hunt.
Children must be preregistered for the drawing. No registration is required for the egg hunt.
Because children don’t have to register, no one knows exactly how many children have joined the hunt in past years, Hughes said.
Registration forms for the prize drawing will not be available at the fairgrounds.
They must be picked up at sponsoring businesses and dropped off at the fairgrounds between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. Saturday.
Forms are available today in Port Angeles at Bayview Transmission, 2026 E. First St.; Quality Tinting, 3240 U.S. Highway 101; Port Angeles Senior & Community Center, 328 E. Seventh St.; Anime Kat, 114 W. First St.; Necessities & Temptations gift shop, 217 N. Laurel St.; Sound Bikes & Kayaks, 120 E. Front St.; Mt. Pleasant IGS, 3010 E. U.S. Highway 101.
Also, La Belle Creperie, 222 N. Lincoln St.; Fairmount Grocery, 1137 Highway 101; Earth Tech Construction, 232 W. Eighth St.; Grandview Grocery, 802 S. C St.; Klahhane Gymnastics, 3318 E. Acorn Lane; Domino’s Pizza, 1210 E. Front St.; Port Angeles Baby Store, 313 W. First St.; Blackbird Coffeehouse, 336 E. Eighth St.; Fanaticus Sports Grill, 1026 E. First St.; and Jim’s Pharmacy, 424 E. Second St.
In Sequim, forms can be picked up at Longhouse Market & Deli, 271020 U.S. Highway 101; Olympic Game Farm, 1423 Ward Road; Plaza Jewelers, 511 E. Washington St.; and Dungeness Kids Co., 163 W. Washington St.
For more information, phone the radio station at 360-457-1450.
Silver and gold
In Port Townsend, children will search for silver and gold — and prize — eggs at Sunday’s
8 a.m. hunt at Chetzemoka Park on Jackson Street at Blaine Street.
The Port Townsend Elks Club egg hunt is the oldest continuous one on the Olympic Peninsula, and one of the oldest in the state.
More than 1,200 dyed eggs and many plastic eggs with prizes will be hidden for children to find.
Those who find silver- and gold-colored eggs will receive silver and golden dollar coins, and prize eggs can be redeemed for Easter baskets and giant stuffed rabbits.
“We spend four months putting it together, and it is over in 10 minutes,” said Sherry Moch, basket co-chair of the Easter hunt committee.
Moch and her co-chairs put together prize baskets and collect stuffed big bunnies.
Children who find the prize eggs can redeem them — one per child – for a basket or a big bunny, Moch said.
On Saturday, Elks volunteers will stuff prize eggs and dye 100 dozen hard-boiled and farm fresh eggs.
A crew boils eggs and dyes them in big batches of color, then everyone has egg salad sandwiches, said Port Townsend Elks’ “Steve the Easter Bunny.”
“You can’t save them all,” Steve said.
In the predawn hours Sunday, members of local Boy Scout troops will hide the eggs in a designated egg hunt area in the park.
Children 12 and younger will be divided into three age groups.
Boy Scouts will help children remain in their age group categories and return extra prize eggs to the hunting grounds to make sure every basket and big bunny is claimed, Moch said.
For more information, phone the Elks Lodge at 360-385-0317.
Forks community hunt
Some 1,200 dyed eggs and about 350 prize eggs will be hidden at Tillicum Park’s baseball fields in Forks for the 36th annual community Easter egg hunt.
The race to find the goodies will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday.
The hunt is sponsored by the Forks Elks Lodge, Forks Outfitters — which donated the eggs — and Sully’s Drive-In.
More than 200 children are expected to take part.
Prize eggs will contain candy, money or gift certificates.
Many children will receive gift certificates for an ice cream at Sully’s.
Each of the fenced ballfields is designated for an age group: 3 and younger, 4 to 8 and 9 to 12.
Parents with children in the 3-and-younger age group can accompany them, but they must remain behind the fence for the older age groups.
Each child is given tickets for entry to a drawing.
Prizes in the drawing are two bikes, one for a boy and one for a girl; 12 plush animals; and 12 chocolate rabbits.
The event was started by Bruce Guckenberg, who has since retired from the hunt and turned it over to the Elks.
“I started it in 1980,” he said.
“I was talking with Don Ice, the owner of the radio station at the time, and it dawned on us: Our community had no hunt,” Guckenberg said.
At first, Guckenberg family members and their neighbor children cooked and dyed all of the eggs in their kitchens.
It has created some special memories for him.
“The very first year, I remember there was a little girl dressed in a beautiful Easter dress. There was a mud puddle between her and an egg,” he said.
“Her mother was trying to tell her to go around, but she went right through. When she was done, she had a brown-colored dress,” he said.
Guckenberg noted that the Forks egg hunt has been held in rain, snow, hail and, yes, even sunshine.
“It really doesn’t matter,” he said.
The Easter Bunny will be at the egg hunt for pictures and visits with the children.
Many more Easter egg hunts and other activities are scheduled on the Peninsula.
Here’s a list:
PORT ANGELES
Easter on the Farm
PORT ANGELES — Duneach Farm will host Easter on the Farm from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
The event at the farm at 256782 U.S. Highway 101 is free. A thank-you/barn fund box will collect contributions to support the farm animals.
An Easter egg hunt with prizes will be from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., with a potluck from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
There will be a demonstration of medieval archery/thrown weapons from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
From noon to 4 p.m., Eli the Camel, Peppermint the donkey, Cash the Welsh pony and baby lambs and chicks will be available.
Sodas, carrots and assorted critter snacks will be available for purchase for 50 cents each.
For more information, phone Becky Northaven at 360-477-0022, email northaven.herding@gmail.com or visit http://tinyurl.com/pdn-easteronfarm.
Hunt by horseback
PORT ANGELES — Freedom Farm will host a horseback Easter egg hunt from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday.
The suggested donation is $10 per rider or $20 for a family at the farm at 493 Spring Road off Old Olympic Highway.
The fundraiser will help the Freedom Farm Horsemanship Team earn money to compete in rated horse shows off the North Olympic Peninsula.
Children weighing less than 90 pounds will have the opportunity to hunt Easter eggs while being led around on horseback.
Eggs also will be available to hunt on the ground for those choosing not to ride.
For more information, phone Mary Gallagher at 360-460-6410.
Eggstravaganza
PORT ANGELES — William Shore Memorial Pool, 225 E. Fifth St., will have an in-water egg hunt from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
The entry fee for the egg hunt is $5.25 per local participant or $10.50 non-district.
There will be prizes and candy.
Participants in the egg hunt can stay for open swim from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at no additional charge.
For more information, phone James Schultz at 360-417-9767, email jschultz@williamshorepool.org or visit www.williamshorepool.org.
SEQUIM
Sequim Elks
SEQUIM — The Sequim Elks Lodge will host a free Easter egg hunt for children up to 11 years old at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Hunts at the lodge at 143 Port Williams Road are planned for three age groups: zero to 3, 4 to 7 and 8 to 11.
A visit is expected from the Easter Bunny.
For more information, phone Karen Lewis at 360-460-0380 or email 3lewis@q.com.
PORT TOWNSEND
American Legion
PORT TOWNSEND — More than 60 dozen eggs will be hidden for the ladies auxiliary of the American Legion Post 26 annual Easter egg hunt at the Fred Lewis Scout Cabin Park at 1 p.m. Sunday.
The free public hunt will be at the park, formerly Legion Park, at 3075 Discovery Road.
It will go on rain or shine.
Prizes will be awarded in three age groups: zero to 4, 5 to 8 and 9 to 12.
CHIMACUM
Food, face painting
CHIMACUM — Lutheran Church of the Redeemer will host a community Easter party and egg hunt at 11 a.m. Saturday.
The event at the church at 45 Redeemer Way will include food, face painting, crafts, storytime and egg hunts in three age groups.
For more information, phone 360-385-6977.
QUILCENE
Easter egg hunt
QUILCENE — Quilcene Fire Rescue will host an Easter egg hunt at 11 a.m. Saturday.
The hunt will take place at the fire hall, 70 Herbert St.
JOYCE
Community egg hunt
JOYCE — The Kitchens family will host a community Easter egg hunt at the Crescent School grounds at 10 a.m. Saturday.
The hunt will be at 50350 state Highway 112.
Prizes will be awarded in three age groups: 3 and younger, 4 to 6 years and 7 to 10 years.
For more information, phone the Kitchens family before 7:30 p.m. at 360-928-3216.
BEAVER
Hungry Bear hunt
BEAVER — The Hungry Bear Cafe will host its 16th annual Easter egg hunt from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
More than 400 eggs will be hidden at the cafe at 205860 U.S. Highway 101.
Egg hunters will be separated into three groups: toddler to 3, 4 to 7 and 8 to 12. The middle group will have a one-minute start before the last group begins.
Drawings will be held after the hunt for prizes for all ages.
For more information, phone the cafe at 360-327-3225.
FORKS
Easter Breakfast
FORKS — The Forks Elks Lodge, 941 Merchants Road, will host an Easter breakfast open to the public from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sunday.
The menu will include ham, sausage, biscuits and gravy, pancakes, French toast, scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, orange juice or coffee.
Tickets are $8 for those 12 and older, unless a senior citizen, or $6 for those ages 4 to 11. Those younger than 3 eat for free.
The event is sponsored by Concerned Citizens and the Forks Emblem Club.
Breakfast at church
FORKS — Forks Assembly of God Church, 81 Huckleberry Lane, will host an open-to-the-public breakfast prior to its Easter service Sunday.
Breakfast will be from 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
For more information, phone 360-374-6909.
Easter at Kalaloch
FORKS — Kalaloch Lodge will host an Easter egg hunt by the beach at 11 a.m. Sunday.
The lodge is at 157151 U.S. Highway 101.
The Easter Bunny is expected to make an appearance.
For more information, phone Creekside Restaurant at 360-962-2271 or visit www.thekalalochlodge.com/easter.
CLALLAM BAY
Easter egg hunt
CLALLAM BAY — An Easter egg hunt is planned for children in the sixth grade and younger starting at 11 a.m. Saturday.
The hunt will be at 16933 state Highway 112.
Prizes, eggs and goodies will be offered at this event, sponsored by the West End Youth and Community Center and friends.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.
News Assistant Anne Sargent contributed to this report.
