The ninth annual Easter Eggstravaganza, hosted by the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce and underwritten by Midwest Energy Cooperative, Berrien Teachers Credit Union and Kappa Beta Sorority, is pleased to welcome  2010 Miss Dowagiac Katie Haneberg and members of her court who will help staff the springtime celebration for children ages 2 to 8 years old.

The old-fashioned Easter egg hunt and related activities will be held this Saturday in and around Beckwith Park and across the street at Who Knew? Consignment, where children can visit with the Easter Bunny beginning at 10 a.m. within the consignment store.
In case of inclement weather, event chairman Trish Brazo said the celebration would be postponed until the following Saturday.

Brazo is a team leader at Huntington Bank and a member of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

The city’s Department of Public Safety is co-hosting the event that opens at 11:45 a.m. at Beckwith Park, where the annual “Be a Bunny” costume contest will be held.

Brazo said costumed bunnies and their parents should gather beneath the Haggin-Wimberley Memorial Bandstand beginning at 11:30 for the contest that awards prizes for first-, second- and third-place costumes.

The 71st Miss Dowagiac Katie Haneberg will select this year’s winners with the assistance of her court, which includes: Taylor Gross, first runner-up; Alyse Pellow, second runner-up; and Marissa Tidey, Miss Congeniality.

“Parents are encouraged to bring their cameras and are invited to take pictures of their children as they visit with the Easter Bunny at Who Knew? Consignment, prior to and after the Easter egg hunt,” Brazo said.

New this year, children who visit the consignment store will receive a complimentary bag to use at the egg hunt.

Brazo and her volunteers have stuffed 12,000 pieces of wrapped  candy into the 6,000 brightly-colored plastic eggs that will await youngsters that morning.

Staff and volunteers of the city’s Department of Public Services will help set up the egg hunt.

Brazo said the first  180 children to meet the Easter Bunny will also receive a free springtime activity  set, courtesy of Kappa Beta Sorority and the Chamber of Commerce.

Children can also look forward to meeting several costumed safety characters, courtesy of the Department of Public Safety.

Brazo said Eddie Eagle, Ashes the Dog and even Smokey the Bear may be making an appearance at the celebration.

“Traditionally, Easter Eggstravaganza marks the official arrival of springtime to our community,” Brazo said.

The celebration is one of  seven seasonal events of the Chamber of Commerce, which also includes the: Community-Wide Garage Sale Weekend in May; three-day Summer in the City celebration in July; Rod and Roll Classic Auto Show in August; Old-Fashioned Christmas Celebration’s Open House Weekend in November; Candle-light Christmas Parade in December; and Ice Time Festival in February.