Kids from Roslindale, West Roxbury and surrounding neighborhoods scurried to find 5,000 pastel eggs in Roslindale’s Adams Park under sunny spring skies this past Saturday, April 7, during the 17th annual Roslindale Village Main Street Egg Hunt.

Mayor Thomas Menino, who hobbled on crutches after recent toe injury, didn’t let it stop him from joining the Bunny to stand before a crowd of more than 1,000 parents and kids, and cut the ribbon on the 10 a.m. hunt.

Kids, ages 2 to 6, from as  far as Waltham came to enjoy this much-loved traditional hunt for plastic eggs held in  one of the only tree-lined parks in a Boston neighborhood shopping area.  Within minutes of the ribbon-cutting, kids had collected all 5,000 eggs, each filled with a small surprise or candy.

Then, the Bunny greeted and posed for photos with local families, as others enjoyed refreshments, activities and crafts. Roslindale Arts Alliance members helped kids create egg-hunt-themed coloring sheets and offered ‘bunny face’  face painting, that included a special request for a ‘rocker’ bunny style by one child. 

Other activities included the annual bunny hop races and a parent/child egg toss using real eggs, both offering prizes for winning teams. 

“We come every single year!” said Alyce Wellerbrady, an Ohrenberger 6th grader who lives in West Roxbury.  Alyce, a former 2011 Roslindale bunny hop race winner, came with her parents, brothers and a few friends.  She said she couldn’t remember a year she didn’t attend.

Her brother Dakota, a Beethoven School second grader, won a big chocolate bunny during this year’s parent/child egg toss.  “My dad used to be the king of basketball, so I thought if I threw to him, he’d catch it,” said Dakota.  Boston’s sports dynasties should take note of the Wellerbrady clan, because 6-year-old brother Dillon Wellerbrady also scored a Toy Story painting set as a winner of this year’s bunny hop.

“All for us were cheering…Go Dillon, Go Dillon!,” said friend Eleanor Gaquin, a third grader at Joyce Kilmer School, who watched with friend Robert Malamphy, an Ohrenberger third grader  who he didn’t participate but enjoys singing in school talent shows.

“We told him the Easter Bunny wanted him to win,” said sister Alyce.  “We have the mojo like Austin Powers.”

“This is a very special day, with Passover, Easter and the Easter Bunny, with the mayor and close to 1,000 people here,” said Steve Gag, Roslindale Village Main Street Board of Director’s vice president. “Twenty-five years ago, this wasn’t the best place to be, but since 1996 we must have put out 38,000 eggs and had about 20,000 people attend.” 

Nonprofit Roslindale Village Main Street brings together residents, business owners, property owners, and public agencies to promote Roslindale Village as a destination and vibrant, healthy center with a unique local character.  Following the spring Egg Hunt, Roslindale Village Main Streets is now readying for its popular Farmer’s Market this summer also held in Adams Park.