The Easter Bunny had a busy day Saturday as he left his usual bunny trails and hopped to two Schuylkill County malls to visit with children.
Even with the snow falling to turn the outside into a winter wonderland for a time, the mood inside the Fairlane Village mall, Pottsville, and Schuylkill Mall, Frackville, was definitely of Easter and springtime.
The fun started at 10 a.m. at the Fairlane Village mall as children and parents gathered near center court to watch the magic of Stephen Christopher, complete with top hat, magic wands, a crystal ball and more. Christopher's magic show was interactive, having children come on stage to help with the tricks that had them laughing along with everyone in the audience.
The 45-minute show also included Ruby the Wonder Bird, a white dove that assisted Christopher with several feats of prestidigitation. During his last trick, a dark-brown rabbit named Cocoa-Puff appeared, leading into the introduction of the arrival of the Easter Bunny. He walked past the stage to center court and sat down in a special chair in front of his house, ready for visits from the children, who all received a free chocolate bunny.
In addition to the first 100 children visiting the Easter Bunny receiving a voucher for a Reading Fightin' Phils ticket, they also had photos taken by Jalonski Studios.
At noon, the excitement continued at the Schuylkill Mall when a fun show was held at center court. Children and adults gathered in the center court pit to enjoy the "Grins and Grins Holiday Comedy Eggtacular," featuring Ray and Erin Grins. The energetic program was filled with laughs, quick-witted humor, lots of physical comedy, skilled acts such as juggling and balancing tricks, and more. The Grins also held another performance at 1 p.m.
The program led to the announcement of the Easter Bunny, who walked in, was greeted by the Grins and headed directly to the main chair in front of a huge Easter basket to greet his adoring fans. The children received an Easter treat and posed for photos by Mike Bailey Photography.
While waiting in line, the children were able to enjoy free activities, including making a spin art masterpiece by squirting different colors of paint into a spinning art board, getting a balloon animal made by William Kauffman and receiving some blue raspberry cotton made right before their eyes.