On the hunt

if Christmas is the ultimate cocooning holiday, Easter is all about emerging from that cocoon. After a long, heavy, bundled-up winter, it arrives all springy and pastel-coloured, bringing with it the giddy feeling that maybe, just maybe, you could leave the house without your jacket....

This, of course, is the dream scenario. Calgary’s notoriously fickle weather systems could just as easily land us a morale-draining dump of heavy, wet springtime snow for Easter weekend. But, if we are blessed with agreeable weather this year, it will practically be mandated that you head outside and stroll around.

A good Easter Sunday afternoon stroll can be had in the vibrant Kensington district. On Sunday, between noon and 4 p.m., the community will be embracing the holiday by hosting an Easter egg hunt—you can pick up a map from a hub tent in the area in front of the Plaza Theatre (1133 Kensington Rd. N.W.) and visit participating businesses for treats. The hub is where you’ll find the Easter Bunny for photo ops between 1 and 3 p.m., as well as complimentary hot chocolate and coffee. The Easter festivities in Kensington also include a petting zoo with animals from Butterfield Acres, set up by the Naked Leaf tea shop (1126 Kensington Rd. N.W.), and Easter-egg painting at Raw Canvas art studio (1130 Kensington Rd. N.W.). When you’ve amassed a good haul of Easter treats, walk a few blocks northward to picturesque Riley Park, where you can find a nice spot on the grass under one of the mature trees, and nibble on your chocolate eggs like you’re a little bunny rabbit. Or, if you don’t have a sweet tooth, you can always retire to the Kensington Pub (207 10A St. N.W.) for a proper afternoon pint.