Easter egg hunts may be synonymous with foil-covered chocolate eggs scattered around a backyard or house, but this year CTV is taking a look at some of Canada’s more unique Easter egg hunts.
Ranging from a hunt catered to dogs to an egg-throwing battle royal on a frozen river, we’ve rounded up some Easter egg hunts that put a different spin on a traditional activity.
Check back on Thursday, when we’ll take a look at what psychologists have to say about what drives our spirit of competition during an Easter egg hunt.
Gone to the dogs
Easter egg hunting has gone to the dogs, albeit for a good cause in several cities in Ontario, and one in Alberta. The National Service Dogs organization has held an annual hunt for 18 years with the money raised going to train pooches. Unlike other traditional Easter egg hunts, in this one, it is the dogs who are sniffing out the plastic eggs filled with dog treats.
The NSD is a charity that trains dogs to work with people ranging from children with autism to veterans and first responders suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
The NSD’s hunt runs on Good Friday in Calgary, and several cities in Ontario: Oakville, Brampton, Guelph, Kitchener, London, St. Catharines and Windsor.
“A lot of people come without kids, people whose dogs are like kids to them,” said Laura Scott, the fund development manager for the charity. “A lot of the prizes are adult-oriented.”
Scott says the eggs are marked with stickers that correlate to specific prizes. When pooches and their owners hand in the eggs, they are given treats or gifts that correspond to the sticker found on the eggs.
Hunting amongst planes
The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada, located in Winnipeg, has been holding Easter egg hunts for four years.
Roughly 6,000 eggs are hidden in and amongst 26 aircraft throughout the museum. Aircraft on display range from bush planes used to explore the province to historic Royal Canadian Air Force planes.
Museum staff say they haven’t seen many Easter egg hunts around the city and decided to offer their own version.
“We’re in a 90,000 sq. ft. aircraft hangar which is neat,” said Pam McKenzie, the programs co-ordinator for the museum.
McKenzie says the event had more than 300 children turn out last year.
The hunt is held on April 4 and 5.
Crack the clue, win a prize
On the East Coast, there’s a new hunt happening in St. John’s, N.L.
The Newfoundland Chocolate Company is sending out directions to hidden locations spread across St. John’s for chocolate lovers to find. The clues are currently being posted on the company’s Twitter and Facebook feeds. The hunt runs throughout the remainder of March.
If you crack the clue, you head to the location, take a photo of yourself and the chocolate prize and email the company with your contact information. Once you do that, you’re entered into a draw to win the prize you took a photo of.
There are five rounds of hidden prizes, and a grand prize of a $450 chocolate gift basket.
‘Black sheep’ of Easter egg hunts
For the past five years, residents have gathered on the frozen Yukon River on Easter Sunday to pelt each other with eggs in a twist on the classic hunt.
“It’s the black sheep of Easter egg hunts,” said Paul Robitaille, who has participated in four of the five fights. “I’ve never seen or heard of any other event where they do a similar thing.”
Robitaille’s friend Malcolm Dewell created the “fight” as a way of doing something different on Easter.
The eggs are collected and placed in the middle of two groups. Once the command is given, people rush forward to grab the eggs and proceed to throw them at each other until they run out.
After being accused of wasting eggs, the organizers decided to use old eggs for their event. Last year, the group of 50 went through 1,600 eggs. Due to the normally chilly conditions, eggs have been known to freeze, leaving behind welts and bruises on participants.
The fight is held on Easter Sunday.
Ye olde Easter egg hunt
The historic site of Kilby, located in Harrison Mills, B.C. is the site of an old fashioned Easter egg hunt. Visitors search for eggs scattered throughout the property and children who find gold and silver eggs will receive a special toy prize.
Kilby was an early 20th century mill town that has now become a museum showcasing rural and farm life.
In a holiday twist, children can decorate eggs to hang on an “Easter tree.”
The hunt is held on both April 4 and 5, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
