Holiday events are sure hits among kids and families, and Easter is no exception. With so many fun traditions, there’s a lot to remember when organising an Easter event for your community. Proper planning helps everything go smoothly – after all, no one wants an egg hunt without chocolate eggs!

To help you plan an unforgettable celebration, we’ve gathered 15 of the best community Easter event ideas.

Why host a community Easter event?

Easter is a fixture on the holiday calendar, and many people look forward to a long weekend and attending events with their families. An Easter event is a perfect opportunity to appeal to a wide demographic.

For some, the holiday is about observing its religious significance. For others, it’s about chocolate egg hunts and basket making. Be sure that cultural needs are respected, and verify that everyone can physically access your event. Above all, an Easter event should uphold the value of the holiday – community and inclusion.

Additionally, hosting a community Easter event gives you the chance to harness your planning skills and make an impression that lasts.

How to plan an Easter event

Follow these seven steps to thrill parents and kiddos at your Easter event.

Step #1: Define the objective for your Easter event

Creating a strategic plan for a relaxed, family-friendly event may seem excessive. However, clearly defined goals will give you and your team options if issues arise.

The key is to keep your objective simple. Are you putting this event on to strengthen your community? To raise money for charity? Or to provide a fun time for local kids?

You’ll want to draw as many people to your event as possible. But hitting your attendance goal doesn’t necessarily mean your event is a success. Instead, think of the other things you want to achieve, like funds raised, newsletter sign-ups, revenue, or awareness.

Clarifying your objective will help you define your approach to the following steps.

Step #2: Outline your event budgeting needs and limitations

Whether you plan to host a simple Easter egg hunt or a lavish festival, a budget will help you and your event staff avoid unexpected costs.

To make this easier, you can use an event budget template. Debating between hiring a balloon artist or having a volunteer learn some simple shapes beforehand? A quick check of your budget can keep you from overspending — or let you know when you can indulge.

Remember: input even the smallest expenses, and keep the budget updated at least every week. Things like flyers, food, and decorations can add up fast.

Step #3: Consider the diversity of your target audience

Like other holidays, Easter events have a wide appeal, so you want to ensure you cater to each demographic.

How to appeal to kids and teens

Younger children might be thrilled to participate in an egg hunt or take photos with the Easter Bunny. But if you’re expecting teenagers to attend, give them space to hang out and chat with their peers.

What can adults do for Easter?

Don’t forget your adult attendees, either. Easter-themed beverages, or even a decorated wine-and-cheese plate, can give them a chance to relax while their kids have fun. Remember to apply for the necessary permits or licenses if you plan to serve alcohol.

Step #4: Pick an appropriate venue

Before you choose your event location, review what you already know about your audience. Things like parking, public transport, and accessibility will impact attendance at your Easter event. Therefore, make sure that your venue fits the needs of your attendees. For example, if you’re expecting lots of parents with young children, verify that the venue is accessible for parents with prams.

If you’re planning a classic egg hunt or outdoor Easter event, assess the location in-depth. Make sure it is clean, safe, and has the proper receptacles for rubbish and recycling. Events with food, drinks, and games leave a lot of waste behind.

Step #5: Get people to notice your Easter event

Family events around Easter are very popular, meaning yours will need to compete for attendance. If you want families to choose your event, try to give it a twist.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Choose a unique location: Traditional Easter egg hunts are held in grassy fields or parks. Break from the norm and host yours in an unusual place, like a classic theatre or the local library.
  • Add extra layers to the competition: While it’s exhilarating for children to find the most Easter eggs, you can go further. Consider placing riddles or puzzles to solve inside refillable eggs to win additional lollies or small toys. Keep the hunt eco-friendly by using biodegradable paper eggs, or reusable wooden eggs.
  • Bring out the artist in your guests: A variety of activities at your Easter event ensures there’s something for everyone. One great activity is an egg-decorating station (real or plastic eggs). If you’re holding your event before Easter, consider an Easter card decorating station.
  • Let the music play: Close your Easter event with a dance party. Not only will the kids enjoy being silly, but parents will thank you for helping the children dance out that sugar energy.

Step #6: Promote your Easter event to the right audience

A standout Easter event can only draw a crowd if people know about it. When it comes to marketing your event, there are lots of options.

Here are three tried-and-true tactics for promoting your event:

  • Post flyers around town and near your location: Ask local businesses, especially family-focused ones, if you can post on their windows or bulletin boards.
  • Market your event over email: If you don’t have an email list, try to get your event in a local or regional newsletter.
  • Promote your event on social media: Ensure your copy gets all the essential event details across while still attracting interest with these social media ad tips.

Step #7: Don’t forget these essential post-event activities

When your Easter event wraps, remember to thank your attendees and update them about upcoming events. Include a post-event survey as well. Ask families what they liked or didn’t like about your event so that you can improve your events in the future – and give attendees more of what they loved.

Remember to post about how much fun your event was on social media. Doing this will encourage people to attend future events. It’s also a good idea to pay attention to social media interactions, such as shares and comments. This is another way to gauge the success of your event.

15 community Easter event ideas

Now that we’ve covered the basics of planning your Easter event, let’s get into a few eggcellent ideas that will have guests hopping with joy.

Easter egg event ideas

Easter egg hunt

You can’t go wrong with a classic egg hunt. Make your egg hunt extra special with decorated baskets to collect the eggs, a dedicated area for kids, and a photo booth to capture those happy faces. Hunting is hungry work, so ensure people have a place to fill their bellies. Securing a food and drink partnership helps take care of the catering.

An egg hunt with a twist

Not all Easter egg hunts have to be aimed at kids. Why not book a venue for adults and fill it with surprises they’ll want to find, like mini bottles of alcohol, beauty gifts, vouchers for local businesses, or gourmet chocolate treats? Or add another dimension by hosting an indoor egg hunt complete with cocktails, canapes, and candles.

Nature trail

An Easter nature trail hunt is a unique way to explore the outdoors and search for decorated eggs. Plan a route through a natural area, such as a park, forest, or beach. Next, hide eggs throughout the route – mark the trail with signs so participants can find their way. You can then reward attendees at the end with chocolate eggs or other fun prizes. Finish by having your volunteers do a sweep of the trail after the hunt to ensure no eggs are left behind.

Traditional Easter event ideas

Church event

For many people, Easter is an important event on their religious calendar. Working with local churches or religious leaders can help generate church Easter event ideas that celebrate the varied beliefs throughout the community. Why not host an Easter feast after the Easter Sunday service or a multi-faith picnic where members of your wider community can meet and give thanks?

Easter farmers market

A farmers market is an excellent way for you to work with local businesses and craftspeople to bring the community together. Stallholders can celebrate the Easter theme with tasty samples and goodies.

Easter fundraising event ideas

Easter bonnet competition

Encourage your audience to get creative with an Easter bonnet competition. You can send design ideas out beforehand and award prizes at your event. You can also host this competition virtually if an in-person event doesn’t suit your community. Remote guests can compete by sending photos of their creations and tagging you on social media as the event creator. To raise money, you could charge a small entry fee. Recruiting a local celebrity to judge the bonnets can help generate more interest.

Raffle or bingo

Raffles work well when you partner with businesses and retail outlets. By offering free or discounted goods, they can promote their business. Plus, you’ll have more raffle prizes. At your bingo event, decorate the tables with an Easter theme and recruit a caller who can liven things up and make people want to keep playing.

Autumn plant sale

Hosting a plant sale is a wonderful way to spread joy and raise money for a good cause. Partnering with a local garden centre or florist may mean you can offer plants, flowers, seeds, and gifts at discounted prices.

Easter bunny festival

Your celebration could include various bunny-themed activities such as a costume parade, a petting zoo, and a photo station where kids can take pictures with the Easter bunny. Vendors and food stations can sell Easter-themed treats.

Easter event ideas for kids and families

Picnic

Easter is a great time to get those picnic blankets out. Your tickets could include an option to buy a ready-packed lunch or have guests bring your own. And no family picnic is complete without a few games — an egg-and-spoon race, toss the egg, and an Easter Bunny sack race, are just a few fun Easter-themed ideas.

Craft fair

A hands-on crafting event lets kids get creative (and a little messy). For their ticket price, you could provide an expert to help your guests paint hard-boiled eggs, make an Easter hat, or decorate a paper Easter bunny. Why not recruit face painters, jugglers, and balloon twisters to host the perfect Easter fair?

Easter brunch

Brunch is often one for the parents, but why not invite the kids too? Give your brunch an Easter egg theme with dishes like Eggs Benedict, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, or a classic omelette. For the kids, offer decorated boiled eggs and bunny-shaped sandwiches. A mimosa or mocktail for the grown-ups and a chocolate egg for the kids will add extra Easter cheer.

Adventure quest

Have participants break into teams and embark on a quest to find hidden Easter eggs. At each location, the team completes a mini-challenge or activity to receive a clue to the next egg’s location. The team that finds all of their eggs first wins the event.

Easter event ideas for adults

Easter food and wine festival

A good portion of the adult population will gladly take any excuse to head out for some wine and food. Hosting an Easter food and wine festival is a great opportunity to support and showcase world-renowned wineries across the country as well as local eateries.

Easter performance

Celebrate the holiday with performing arts. A gospel concert is ideal for the occasion or put on a play acting out the traditional Easter story. You could even organise a musical about the Easter Bunny – with characters enacting a tale of how the bunny became a holiday symbol.

Time to get cracking

Now that you’re feeling inspired, it’s time to plan your Easter event. Get started with Eventbrite today.