The Burford and District Optimist Club hosted its annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Burford Fairgrounds on Saturday, April 19, 2025.
Throughout the event, which has been running for nearly 30 years, families got to enjoy a host of free activities happening around the grounds.
“Today, we’ve got our egg hunt taking place outside on the grass; the kids have to collect three to five eggs and then once they’re done, they get to come and exchange their collection for a little chocolate treat of their choosing,” said Amber Bonney, an Optimist club member and event organizer. “Inside we have our face painter, Creations by Cam, doing some fun little spring designs which have been a great hit so far, and we also have a little photo area set up so the littles can get their pictures taken with the Easter Bunny and Princess Elsa.”
The youngsters in attendance were all smiles once they realized they also had the chance to enter a free raffle for one of many kite designs, or a PlasmaCar.
Kayla Deleye was one of the many Burford residents who brought her children to the event. With a nearly three-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl, Deleye said the event was great for all ages.
“It’s a wonderful little event, there’s always lots of exciting things for the little ones to do and nice because it’s great for kids of all ages,” she said. “It’s really nice to have the Optimist Club put this on every year and I think everyone in the community really appreciates all their hard work, and in turn, wants to show up for it.”
The local Optimist Club, which has been running for over 40 years, is made up of a group of committed Burford residents who volunteer their time to make the community a better place for children and youth within the community.
“The Optimist Club is just really all about giving back to the community where we can,” said Bonney. “As someone who has two young boys myself, the whole reason I joined the Optimist Club was to get involved and to see events like this one still have life and continue to move forward. If anyone in the community is interested in either volunteering or becoming a member, I highly recommend it because it’s just so much fun to be a part of this and to give back like this.
Overall, Bonney said she was thrilled with the turnout for the event.
“Out of all the years I’ve been involved with this event, I have to say that this is probably the most beautiful day, weather wise, that we’ve had,” she said. “The turnout has been great, typically the first and the last hours are the busiest, but so far it’s been consistently steady which has been really nice to see.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
