While the annual Toronto Beaches Lions Club Easter Parade will not be taking place this Sunday, April 12, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, local residents are being encouraged to take part in a virtual version of the parade.
Organizers have decided to bring the parade online this year through a video collage of submitted photos, and are inviting residents to get creative and have some fun at home in the process.
The Toronto Beaches Lions Club is hosting a photo contest and is asking residents to send in their Easter-themed photos to share with others in lieu of an actual parade and also to win prizes.
Entries must be submitted through photo posts to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter by midnight on Good Friday, April 10, with one of the following hashtags:
- #EasterBonnetLVPwear your best hat, bonnet or headgear
- #EasterEggLVPdecorate our lives with Easter Eggs
- #EasterBunnyLVPshare your costumes or bunny pictures
- #EasterBasketLVPshow your special treats, breads, buns, baked goods, charcuterie
- #SpringCelebrationLVPcelebrate Passover, Persian New Year or Other holiday of Spring
- #FamilyTimeLVPPictures of Family Time together
There will be prizes of $50 each in each of the six categories. The contest is open to all Toronto residents. If you are under 18 years of age, your parent or guardians must submit photo entries on your behalf. Remember, the entries must have the proper hashtags in order for the judges to see them.
On Easter Sunday (April 12), contest organizers will share the “virtual parade video of all our fantastic submissions.”
Everyone is encouraged to watch the video online on Easter Sunday at https://www.beacheslions.com/ and/or on YouTube.
Normally, Easter is a huge celebration for the community which has been hosting the Toronto Beaches Lions Club Easter Parade since 1967. Originally, the parade took place along the Boardwalk but it was moved to Queen Street East in the Beach in the 1970s. The Lions Club became actively involved in the parade in 1973, and became the official organizer in 1981.
Along with the annual parade, last year also saw a Good Friday Egg Hunt for children that took place in Kew Gardens. That event has also been cancelled for this year due to COVID-19.
However, Beaches-East York Councillor Brad Bradford is encouraging families to take part in virtual or physical-social-distance Easter Egg hunts this year
“Easter is an important time of the year. People come together, go on Easter egg hunts, and enjoy spending time with their families,” said Bradford on his website.
“COVID-19 and the new practice of physical distancing have made it more difficult to enjoy these traditions. One thing I have learned through this crisis, however, is that our community spirit is unshakable. Many residents have reached out to me with ideas of how we can still celebrate Easter while apart from each other. A physically distant egg hunt is an idea that has gained traction in many different communities.”
The idea for the egg hunt is fairly straightforward. Residents are being invited to draw and colour some Easter artwork and stick it in their windows. Families across the city can then try and find their neighbours’ eggs, all from the safety of their front door, explained Bradford’s website.
Participants are also invited to share their Easter artwork on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #BEYegghunt. “Make sure you tag @bradmbradford so I can share on my channels,” said Bradford.
For more information on the egg hunt, please visit https://www.bradbradford.ca/easter2020/
Did you enjoy this article? Become a Beach Metro Community News Supporter today! For 50 years, we have worked hard to be the eyes and ears in your community, inform you of upcoming events, and let you know what and who is making a difference. We cover the big stories as well as the little things that often matter the most. CLICK HERE to support your Beach Metro Community News!
