Community Corner

Los Gatos Hippity Hop Egg Hunt to Replace Bunny Fun Hunt This Saturday

Vice Mayor Steven Leonardis saves the day for thousands of local children who look forward to annual celebration in front of Los Gatos High School.

Los Gatos Vice Mayor Steven Leonardis announced this morning that with the help of the Kiwanis Club and several churches and merchants, there will be a community egg hunt on the high school's front lawn starting at 10 a.m. this Saturday, March 30.

The new event, called Hippity Hop Egg Hunt, is the sequel to the now-canceled  Bunny Fun Hunt that was held at the same location for 16 years, but was stopped this year by its host—Los Gatos Saratoga Recreation.

Regina Falkner, the executive director of LGS Recreation, told Los Gatos Patch that the Bunny Fun Hunt was discontinued this year after program staff determined it had become very costly and they wanted to take a look at alternative special events that better serve the community and LGS Recreation.

Find out what's happening in Los Gatoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Leonardis said after receiving permission from Los Gatos High School to host the event on its front lawn on East Main Street across from Town Hall, he was able to get the local Kiwanians to help with the event.

"It's going to be a low-key event. The kids will just come, chase the eggs and go home," he said, adding that in previous years the former event had become elaborate with carnival games, pony rides, petting zoo, bouncy house and food and photo booths.

Find out what's happening in Los Gatoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We just wanted to save it. We had to get it together in two weeks. It's just so the children have something to look forward to," he said.

Each church will donate a certain amount of plastic eggs already filled with candy and prizes and town businesses such as the Travel Advisors of Los Gatos and religious groups such as St. Mary's Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Methodist Church and the Los Gatos Meadows retirement community will round up the egg donation to about 3,000, Leonardis said.

Two age groups will participate, he said, with the younger children, ages 2-6, beginning at 10 a.m.; and older children, ages 7-10 at 10:30 a.m.

All children should bring their own basket or bag to put the eggs in, he said. "There won't be any bathroom facilities. It's going to be fun, simple and fast. For the parents, I think it's going to be easier because they'll show up with their kids, have them collect the eggs, enjoy the activity and be done with it. They won't have to spend a huge amount of time at this event."

Leonardis said he's not sure what the attendance is expected to be, but in previous years the Bunny Fun Hunt attracted thousands of parents and children.

"Next year it will be better. We have 3,000 eggs and if we have 300 kids show up, that's about 10 eggs a kid, or 600 kids and about five eggs each," Leonardis said. "I hope it wont' be overwhelming or underwhelming. I hope it's just right."

Leonardis said the R.J. Fisher Middle School Builders Club, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club, named the event the Hippity Hop 'Till You Drop Easter Egg Hunt.

The longtime Los Gatos resident and father of two young children, said he grew up attending Easter egg hunts with his parents and five siblings. It's a tradition he tries to observe each year with his family, he noted.

"I always looked forward to it as a child and I always appreciated the people who offered that to us. My dad would take us and we would get out of the house, get some fresh air, we ran around, had fun ... it's great that they'll come to Los Gatos," he said.

RELATED COVERAGE:

  • An Epic Egg Hunt in Los Gatos!
  • Los Gatos Hatches Sweet Easter Fun
  • Get Ready for the Easter Bunny


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here