It’s not hard to hop into an Easter celebration in the Okanagan this long weekend.
Friday was the beginning of the festivities, with easter egg hunts in Kelowna and Lake Country, as for the rest of the weekend, there are community-based events throughout the Thompson Okanagan.
Saturday at Grizzli Winery in West Kelowna the day started with an Easter Egg Hunt then the winery was transformed into a centre for Easter fun for the whole family.
“We have everything from plant your own sunflowers to balloon twisting, to games being set up, colouring contest, build your own egg stations free hot chocolate for the kids,” said Grizzli Winery events lead, Amber Piran.
In Kelowna’s Kettle Valley neighbourhood, Saturday was all about making memories that will last a lifetime. The community converged to celebrate their extra long weekend together at Quilchena Park where there was a scavenger hunt, playground, games and more to enjoy.
“Kettle Valley has had Easter events for a number of years and it just brings the community together and that’s what makes this community so amazing,” said the organizer of the Kettle Valley Easter event, Nicholas Simpson.
For Easter Sunday, Kelowna’s City Park played host to hundreds of people who gathered for an Easter Service in the grandstands as well as played in the kid’s section.
“The gathering started today with a celebration at 10 a.m., we’ve got field games for kids and bouncy castles then we are going to head down to the water for 15 baptisms that we are doing,” said Praxis Church pastor, Joshua Dool.
In the kids section, kids could be taken care of while their parents focused on the Easter Service.
“We put a lot of effort into the kid’s events because easter is a fantastic memorable event,” said Dool. “I have always had fantastic times growing up here in the Okanagan at Easter and we just want to be part of building place for community to gather.”
Dool and his team are already planning for next year’s event, and are hoping to make it the largest Easter celebration in the Okanagan.