The Egg-Stravaganza in Te Puke on Saturday was a big hit, according to the event’s organizers. The event was a joint effort between the Harvest Church, the Te Puke Toy Library, and EPIC Te Puke.
The Easter-themed event took place from 9 am to 1 pm in Jubilee Park, Te Puke. Attendees enjoyed food, entertainment, donkey rides, market stalls, face painting, and even a visit from the Easter Bunny on a unicycle.
The main attraction was the Easter Sculpture Trail & Fair. Participants could bike, walk, run, or hop along the 4km Te Ara Kahikatea Pathway trail, admiring Easter Sustainable Art Sculptures and completing a bingo card for a chance to win prizes. The winning art piece was the Rubbish Yard Chicken, a chicken made from scrap materials.
The winner of the My Ride Te Puke Hurricane Mountain Bike was 12-year-old Alexis Turnbull from Papamoa. The ‘People’s Choice’ Art Trail contest was won by Emma McCarroll with her Farm Yard Chicken.
The art trail also featured a giant five-foot high rabbit made out of wire, giant bugs made by students from Te Puke Intermediate, and fish made from metal by Creative Te Puke. The 4Woods Early Learning Centre created a large sustainable Easter egg using seeds and flower heads.
Rebecca Larsen from EPIC Te Puke says the event was inspired by ‘Nuit Blanche’ – White Night – an international arts festival. She loved the idea of bringing people together to enjoy art. The Harvest Church also ran popular egg hunts every hour.
Te Puke Toy Library contributed a life-sized cow painted with spring flowers and hidden Easter eggs, donated by Te Puke Veterinary Centre. The Menz Shed Te Puke donated bird boxes to EPIC Te Puke to sell in support of their event costs.
Rebecca thanked everyone who helped make the event happen, saying it was about creating memorable experiences that bring the community together.