The city of San Marino made the Easter weekend a little bit brighter for residents after gloomy weather was expected to blanket the traditional “Great San Marino Egg Hunt” and San Marino Firefighters Association Pancake Breakfast festivities at Lacy Park Saturday.
However, rain could not stop the more than 20-year-old city tradition of the egg hunt.
City staff brought the fun to families at the San Marino Community Center, where they were invited to pick up take-home egg hunt kits, which included colorful plastic eggs filled with candy and toys, as well as an interactive paper craft and bunny visor activity. Staff and library volunteers prepared about 700 kits for the occasion.
“As a fan of both candy and pancakes, I have to say I’m personally quite disappointed we had to pivot from our traditional event this weekend,” City Manager Philippe Eskandar told the Tribune. “Having heard so many great things about this event, I was really looking forward to joining our Firefighters Association in flipping some flapjacks, seeing all of our Community Services staff’s hard work, and meeting more members of our community.”
Eskandar said that many city staff members called the National Weather Service every day in preparation for the weekend’s storm. With the forecast showing the potential for thunderstorms, rain totals of upward of 3 inches and gusty winds, it became clear that the safety concerns were too great to hold the event as planned.
“I know it was a very difficult call for our Community Services staff to make, but I’m thrilled with the way they are pivoting to make sure that the day is not a total loss,” Eskandar said. “It will still be great to see families receive the take-home kits and have some fun at home as they watch the rain fall.”
The idea for the take-home egg hunt came from the city’s special event team. Community Services Director Cathi Johnson said staff take great pride in preserving all of San Marino’s traditions.
“Despite the unexpected change in plans due to the forecasted rainy weather, the fact that the city is still able to offer the egg hunt to community members in a creative way is truly special,” Johnson said. “It demonstrates the city’s unwavering commitment to upholding cherished traditions and bringing joy to residents, even amid unforeseen challenges.”
Navigating COVID-19 provided the city with new ways of thinking, and that came in handy for an event like this one.
“If the pandemic taught us anything, it was how to adjust our programs and services through creative resiliency,” Johnson said. “We moved mountains during those COVID years. Those lessons learned helped prepare us to adapt and modify our programs versus the alternative of canceling. Despite the inclement weather and need to cancel the in-person egg hunt at the park, and new logistical and planning challenges, we remained committed to ensuring that our residents can still celebrate the holiday weekend together with some fun, at-home activities.”
Anyone who purchased an egg hunt wristband but could not attend the pick-up event will be able to obtain a take-home kit from the Community Center through Friday, April 5, during operating hours. The San Marino Community Center is located at 1800 Huntington Drive. For more information regarding the kits, call the Recreation Division at (626) 403-2200.
The pancake breakfast has been rescheduled to Saturday, April 20, from 9 a.m. to noon at Lacy Park, with the city’s “Rock Lacy!” band competition to follow. Tickets for the event can still be purchased for $5 at the Community Center through Friday, April 19, at 11 a.m. For questions about the pancake breakfast, call the San Marino Fire Department at (626) 300-0735.
First published in the April 4 issue of the San Marino Tribune
