Siesta Key Easter Egg Hunt entertains kids, brings families together

Patty Casey said each year she volunteers at the annual Siesta Key Easter Egg Hunt, she enjoys watching the children visiting with their parents.

“I just love the kids,” said Casey, who serves as president of the Kiwanis Club of Siesta Key. “They get so excited.”

She said the April 8 event was an excellent multigenerational opportunity that provides many children, whose families might be staying in Siesta Key for Easter, with the chance to attend an event with their grandparents, who might live on the island.

Held annually by the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce, this year’s event was at the Siesta Key Chapel property instead of the former location of Turtle Beach.

Marisa Merlino, promotion and event manager with the chamber, said while the event brought together businesses and families, its primary purpose was to offer a celebration that could be attended by out-of-town families. She also said the experience was improved this year due to the new location, which offered more shade as well as restroom facilities. 

In addition to the egg hunt, included in the experience were animals presented by Sarasota Jungle Gardens and Big Cat Habitat, and a bracelet craft station by the Girl Scouts, as well as other fun and games staffed by many Kiwanis volunteers.

Patricia Pool said she was having an excellent time with her three grandsons, Micha, Caleb, and Owen Palmer. She said she appreciated the event’s multiple Easter egg hunts, which allowed participants to spread out. 

14-year-old Girl Scout Mackenzie Valenca said it was exciting to see the importance of the event in the community.

“I really enjoyed being able to watch all the different people come through and seeing how large of an event this was,” she said. “So many different kinds of people just come together in this community.”