Social distancing might keep the Easter Bunny from dropping off chocolates for a traditional Easter egg hunt, but he is set to parade down the streets of Wellesley once again.
Last year, the Inspiring Minds Early Learning Centre came up with a way to ensure the Easter Bunny could still make his trip to Wellesley village in lieu of the usual egg hunt. This newly created event came in the form of the Easter Bunny Parade, a socially distanced event that sees the bunny ride in a Jeep, making stops to wave at the kids.
Krista Schott, director of the Inspiring Minds Early Learning Centre, said the goal was to have a safe event that still allowed kids to mark the holiday.
“It came out of something that happened last year, so when we were right in the beginnings of COVID. Wellesley has always been a great community and trying to have lots of different community events, and someone reached out wondering if anybody had an Easter Bunny costume, and would they be able to drive around Wellesley. That’s how it started. Because we’re still in the midst of COVID – we typically would offer an Easter egg hunt for families, but obviously we can’t do that – we’re going to go ahead with the Easter Bunny parade again this year,” said Schott of the decision to go again with the alternative arrangement.
Taking place April. 3, the event sees the Easter Bunny driven around in a Jeep, visiting kids in the village. Schott says someone will drive ahead of the bunny’s vehicle – which will have the doors and potentially the top off depending on weather – honking their horns to let families know of his arrival.
Unlike similar holiday events last year which proved extremely popular, the parade which will be undertaken by the Easter Bunny will not require families to register for a visit. Schott says the bunny will be going up and down every street in the village.
In keeping with safety and trying to limit the contact kids and their families could have with the bunny and others, no candy is going to be given out during the parade. Instead, giving back to the community and having a fun event during these unprecedented times is the real goal behind the second iteration of the parade.
“Regardless of the situation that we’re in, there are still ways that we can make sure that we are celebrating together. We’ve always been really very grateful of the support that we’ve received as a not-for-profit organization within Wellesley Township as a whole. And this is one way that we can give back and be a part of the community as well,” said Schott.
The Easter Bunny Parade will start at 10 a.m. on April 3. The route the bunny will take will be posted online in the days leading up to the event.
