Easter fever: The best local egg hunts

(Published April 1, 2019)

By Jesse Wright, staff writer

Many parents in downtown Chicago don’t have lawns for children to hunt eggs—but the city provides a plethora of alternatives, some including grandiose spectacles, for both kids and parents.

New Eastside’s Maggie Daley Park hosts the Great Chicago Egg Hunt on April 19, which, as the name implies, is not small affair.

Besides the Easter Bunny, the egg hunt includes various performances from event sponsor Medieval Times’ knights and princesses. The event is open to any child from 1 to 11 years old. though parents need to register kids. A spot is $10 per person online or $15 per person the day of the hunt. Parents can register on the park district’s site, maggiedaleypark.com.

Parents should register sooner rather than later because it is popular. “We had 5,000 people last year,” park supervisor Jackie Guthrie said. “It’s a pretty big egg hunt.”

She explained the hunt is actually several hunts, handled in waves, and a Medieval Times’ trumpeter will sound off each hunt.

The event is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and registration begins at 9 a.m.

A Rainforest adventure

Across the river near Streeterville, kids and parents can get a hop on Easter  breakfast with the Easter Bunny April 13 and April 14 at Rainforest Café, 605 N. Clark St. The Cha! Cha!’s Egg-Cellent Easter Adventure breakfast includes a breakfast buffet, an egg hunt and basket and goodie bags for the kids. Children 3 and under are free, 10 and under are $14.34 and tickets for everyone else are $24.75. Tickets are available at Eventbrite.com.

Lake Shore Park Easter egg hunt

Streeterville families can take part in the Maggie Daley Park egg hunt and then, the next day, April 20, families can go over to Lake Shore Park, 808 N. Lake Shore Drive, for the Streeterville’s Easter egg hunts for kids 12 and under. Bags will be provided for the eggs. The event is free and open to the community from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Besides the hunt, there will be snacks, face painting, crafts and there will also be storytime reading by Blue Box Libraries and parents are asked to bring a book to donate. The event is free to the public and parents can register at easterinchicago.com.

The event is sponsored by Lake Shore and Seneca Park advisory councils and Church of the Beloved.