Come stroll Lakeshore Avenue in the 25^th Annual Easter Parade and Derby Decorating Contest and attend the 4^th Annual Spring Festival at the Lakeshore Baptist Church, 3534 Lakeshore, on Saturday, April 7^th, starting at 10 AM. Ken Pitts Martial Arts kids will demonstrate their skills as we gather for the parade at 11.

Yes, neighbors, for 25 years kids have been decorating their derby hats (you can buy them at shops on Lakeshore or use your own chapeau-Silver Moon Kids, 3233 Lakeshore, Adventure Toys, 3291 Lakeshore, Izek’s Salon, 3319 Lakeshore, Greetings, 3417 Lakeshore, Silver Lining Jewelry, 3340 Lakeshore, or George’s Cleaners, 3310 Lakeshore) with scraps of fabric, geegaws (no clear definition for these) toys, drawings, and what-nots and then parade them up and down the Avenue back to the church where prizes will be awarded to the best hats based on age categories from toddler to 12 (girls and boys).

Every child will go home with an Easter basket full of small gifts and candy from the merchants of the Lakeshore Avenue Business Improvement District.

Volunteers and parents will be set up at the church by 10 AM for last minute derby (hat) decorating before the Easter Bunny leads the stroll down the Avenue where the judging will take place. If it rains, and the last three Saturdays have been rainy, we will parade and give the prizes inside the church. But if it only rains lightly, bring your umbrellas. The merchants and shoppers really enjoy seeing the kids celebrating the season.

After the parade and contest, families can stay and decorate eggs and eat corndogs. They’re deep-fried on the spot so they have to be good for you, right? Our favorite face-painter, Jessica Gates, will be on hand and her wonderful artistic endeavor is free thanks to the Lakeshore BID-kids will start lining up by noon. Don’t forget your camera, these painted, chocolatey faces will grow up or get washed too soon.

This year will be different from so many previous years as our emcee of past years is missing. Hunter McCreary, who presided over our Avenue for many years as the owner of the Dime and Dollar Store, wore his trademark top hat with bunny ears and gave out the prize baskets in a way that respected the kids while making the grown-ups laugh into their sleeves. He died suddenly last fall so we’ll have to carry on in his memory somehow.

Who among you will wear a top hat with bunny ears and regale our little crowd with his (her) commentary on the kid-created chapeaux of Lakeshore Avenue? Please join us Saturday by 11 AM at the church to find out.

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