Peter and Lily Rabbit will join circus workshops, street performers and live entertainment as part of a free Easter event happening in Harwich this weekend.
The bunnies will give out prizes from an Easter Egg hunt around Dovercourt town centre, with a climbing wall, teacup ride, trampolines and fairground stalls all on offer.
Visitors can make the most of unlimited candyfloss and popcorn before checking out decorated window displays in town centre businesses and voting for their favourite; while a number of community groups will also be staging activities for people to take part in.
The free event, which runs 10am-4pm this Saturday (30 March), is centred on the Orwell Place car park off the High Street.
It is being organised by a forum of local partners – chaired by Paul Milsom, owner of the Pier Hotel in Harwich, and supported by Tendring District Council – as part of a national pilot to improve town centres.
The High Street was selected as one of only ten places in the country to be part of the government’s Accelerator Pilot Programme giving powers to those who live and work in town centres to bring about improvements.
Mr Milsom, who also chairs the town’s Tourism Group, said: “What better way to spend the bank holiday weekend, and the start of the school holidays, with a day out for all the family in Historic Harwich.
“There is so much going on, from the egg hunt and window trail around the town centre, to the circus workshops and marvelling at stilt walkers, and all of the community activities – it is an event not to be missed.
“While you’re in the High Street it’s also a perfect opportunity to reacquaint yourself with the many brilliant local businesses we have. Many of them are getting involved in the window dressing competition which is great to see.”
The Accelerator programme, announced in early December last year, means the High Street Partnership will receive £237,000 to spend by March 2025; £50,000 of this has to be committed by the end of March 2024 to unlock the further funding. Some of this £50,000 is being used to put on the free Easter event.
The free event also coincides with an event from Radio Mi Amigo, based on the LV18 Lightship, to mark the 60th anniversary of pirate station Radio Caroline.
Mr Milsom added: “There is a wealth of exciting things to see and do across the wider Harwich area – this weekend, but also throughout the year – and we hope people visit this historic town and keep coming back to explore its wonders.”
