Easter Egg Hunt Draws Hundreds to Foxton Riverside Cultural Park
Image captured by Jacob Brookie of Mavtech
On Thursday, March 28th, SORT and Pop Up Eats Horowhenua joined forces to host a free Easter Egg Hunt at the River Loop Reserve. This event, led by a new wave of younger volunteers at SORT, aimed to create positive experiences for the community at Piriharakeke (The Manawatū River Loop at Foxton). While our primary focus remains on reopening the loop, these volunteers, without memories of swimming or fishing in the awa, are driven by a deep desire to reconnect the community with the precious taonga that is Piriharakeke.
Originally planned for the River Loop Reserve, the blustery weather prompted a last-minute relocation to the Riverside Cultural Park. Undeterred by the change in venue, whānau eagerly embarked on the hunt, searching for four hidden bunnies named "Free," "Foxton," "River," and "Loop."
Amidst the laughter and excitement, tamariki visited the Easter Egg Tent to claim their prizes and for those lucky hunters that found one of fifteen specially painted rocks - large chocolate bunnies were won. Thanks to the generous contributions of Jason Davy at New World Foxton, as well as Keshnee and Rakeeb of Foxton Barber and Beauty, over 300 children could participate in the egg hunt, each one taking home a treat.
A local parent brought her two daughters along and described it as an awesome event for all the kids, thanking the organisers for making it happen.
Another visitor reminisced about her childhood memories of Piriharakeke being overshadowed by negativity. However, witnessing SORT's efforts as a mother now, she felt inspired to support the kaupapa and foster positive connections to the awa.
Following the hunt, food trucks buzzed with activity, serving up delicious meals to locals enjoying the soulful tunes of Clint Taylor and Anthony Butterfield. As the evening unfolded, a headcount revealed over 500 attendees within the Riverside Cultural Reserve, marking a resounding success and the busiest Pop Up Eats event Foxton had ever seen.
A big thank you to everyone that attended and supported the event. We’d love to hear from anyone who would be interested in sponsoring or volunteering to support events such as this in the future. If that’s you, please contact us on admin@sort.nz.
