“Some old-fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat.” – Laura Ingalls Wilder

Spring has officially returned to Santa Clarita, and with the warmer weather and colorful hillsides in bloom come a wave of free, family-fun events this month. A community favorite, which my kids loved when they were younger, is the Eggstravaganza Event at Central Park.

That is just one of the many springtime events – and don’t forget – with the return of spring also comes renewed beauty on our trails and in our parks. You won’t want to miss the opportunity to get out into our open spaces to appreciate the green hillsides and colorful wildflowers.

Bring a basket and join us on the field as Central Park is transformed into an enormous scavenger hunt during Eggstravaganza, where 20,000 colorful eggs filled with toys and candy are hidden by Mr. E. Bunny himself. Children ages one to 10 are invited to join in on the fun as they can race to collect colorful eggs placed throughout the park. To make sure everyone has a fun and fair experience, the fields will be divided into different areas allowing enough eggs to be found by all attendees. Hidden in 100 eggs will be a number that lucky recipients can redeem for a wide variety of games like monopoly, Bluey toys and more!

Attendees can also show off their best pose, with their prizes and eggs, as they take pictures in the on-site photo booth. While this event is free for the public, participants are encouraged to bring non-perishable or canned items with them to the event. All items will be donated to the local Santa Clarita Food Pantry. Whether you’re new to the community or a longtime resident, this egg hunt is the perfect way to spend your Saturday morning. The event begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 8 at Central Park, 27150 Bouquet Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91350.

Across town, you can also choose to have your egg hunt at the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center during the fun and highly-participated spring event, Splash n’ Dash. Get ready to wear your favorite swimming suit as you dash into the Waterslide Pool to collect some of the hundreds of plastic eggs that spiral down the waterslide and into the pool. To keep everyone safe, children will be divided up by age and then allowed to go into the pool. Parents must accompany all small children and are encouraged to swim together. Lifejackets are available for participants at no cost to wear during the event. The Waterslide Pool will also be heated to make sure everyone is warm and having a great time during the dash. This event is also free, but attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable or canned foods to be donated to the Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry. The Splash n’ Dash event will start at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 8 at the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center, 20850 Centre Pointe Parkway, Santa Clarita, CA 91351.

Another fun and free option during the springtime is to hike out onto our trails or enjoy a picnic in our parks or open spaces! One of my favorite spots that is especially perfect for little ones is Duane R. Harte Park, which features picnic tables, playgrounds, as well as Trail Tales! Take your time enjoying a lunch out in the beautiful park, and then take a stroll down the paseos as you read along to the children’s classic, “We’re Going on A Bear Hunt.”

If you would like to learn more about any of our egg hunt events or to find a list of our parks and open spaces, please visit santa-clarita.com. I hope to see all of our residents taking advantage of these free, family-fun events this spring.

Mayor Pro Tem Cameron Smyth is a member of the Santa Clarita City Council and can be reached at csmyth@santa-clarita.com.