Winchester Mystery House to hold ‘The Hoppening’
Whether rooted in myth or reality, the Winchester Mystery House has long been a locale for the strange and unusual and this Saturday that will include the sight of hordes of kids scouring the mansion’s Victorian gardens for Easter eggs. If you don’t have kids of your own, that could qualify as a terrifying vision.
For “The Hoppening” — and I’m awarding extra credit for an event name that exudes both mirth and creepiness — some 5,000 eggs will be hidden around the grounds, but not inside Sarah Winchester’s landmark house. There also will be 13 golden eggs
dispersed among them that can be redeemed for special prizes in the gift shop.
The free event starts at 10 a.m. — the egg hunt begins at 10:30 a.m. — and will include other kidfriendly activities like a bounce house, a glittertattoo artist and even Mr. Jelly Belly, who will hand out samples. Who knows? Maybe some spectral children from the Victorian era will show up to join in the fun, too.
HOPPING AROUND IN CAMPBELL >> Of course, when it comes to Easter weekend traditions in the South Bay, it’s hard to beat the Bunnies & Bonnets Parade, which will roll through downtown Campbell for the 21st year on Saturday.
The lineup will include the expected collection of classic cars, marching bands, kids and animals marching along Campbell Avenue starting at noon — but watch for the end as the Friends of Children with Special Needs Marching
Band has organized a fun surprise that should be familiar to fans of the parade scene in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”
The parade will be preceded by the 39th annual Eggstravaganza Easter Egg Hunt at the Campbell Community Center. Kids 12 and under can take part in the festivities, which start at 9 a.m. and include face painting, jump houses, a petting zoo and an appearance by the Easter Bunny, courtesy of the Campbell Kiwanis Club. Don’t forget to bring a basket to take part in the hunt for more than 20,000 hidden eggs, which starts sharp at 10:30 a.m. Don’t worry if you don’t have a watch, just listen for “Who Let the Dogs Out?” to start playing over the loudspeakers.
POETIC TIMING >> The Poets and Writers Coalition at San Jose State couldn’t have asked for better news Monday than the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry being awarded to Forrest Gander, who will be on campus Wednesday to deliver one of the keynote readings for this week’s Legacy of Poetry Festival.
Gander, who received the award for his collection “Be With,” will be joined by 2017 Pulitzer finalist Arthur Size, poet Michael Tod Edgerton and former Santa Clara County Poet Laureate Sally
Ashton, who will also read from their work.
The 7 p.m. event on the second floor of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Main Library in downtown San Jose is free and open the public, though space will no doubt be limited. Other events in this year’s festival, themed “Water and Fire,” include a group reading April 17, a symposium featuring poets and climate change scientists on April 18 and a poetry slam hosted by Santa Clara County Poet Laureate Mighty Mike McGee on April 19.
The San Jose Museum of Art is also devoting its Third Thursday event this week to its 10th annual Poetry Invitational with by Bay Area poets including former Santa Clara County poets laureate Arlene Biala and David Perez reading work inspired by the museum’s exhibits. Get more information on all the events at www.legacyofpoetry. com.