By Steve Lee

Celebrating Easter with an egg hunt and the famous bunny at the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village has become a family tradition. The historic site in Dade City recently hosted the Sixth Annual Jelly Bean Fling.

“The Jelly Bean Fling has been amazing,” said executive director Stephanie Bracknell Black. “It’s for families to bond outdoors and get a chance to explore the museum together.”

The wide variety of activities included live music, interactive arts and crafts, as well as live animals at a petting zoo and pony rides. The biggest draws, however, were reserved for the traditional Easter Egg Hunts, getting photos taken with the Easter Bunny and the Spheres Bubble Show.

Land O’ Lakes resident Blaise Ryndes created the bubble show 10 years ago and got discovered on America’s Got Talent. Since then he has performed more than 100 indoor and outdoor shows, often coming to Pioneer Florida Village for its events.

“It’s really cool to see all the little ones get so excited and play with the bubbles, and be interactive at the same time,” said Spring Hill’s Jessie Baker, who came with her 9-year-old daughter Ryleigh.

“It’s such a joy to see my granddaughter happy,” added Ron Reed of Land O’ Lakes.

Another place that was popular for boys and girls to visit was Pharoah’s Wild Kingdom, where various reptiles were on display. Pharoah Gayles, who owns the business, is a fixture at the village’s events.

Asked what he enjoys the most while watching boys and girls touch a small alligator, Gayles responded, “It’s the excitement of everyone’s faces when they get a chance to have an interaction.”

Up on a hill in the Mabel Jordan Barn, children and their parents turned in plastic eggs picked up in a field below. They were redeemed for eggs that they could color or tickets to play games such as bean bag tic tac toe, mini-bowling and tossing a ring around a wooden horse.

“The kids love it,” said Amber Caudill, a former Pasco High softball standout (Class of 2014). “They look forward to seeing the Easter Bunny and other characters.”

All in all, families enjoyed the traditional family-oriented Easter celebration. Cindy Hamilton, who brought her grandchildren Della Horan, 6, and her 7-year-old brother Joseph, enjoyed watching children scurry from one event to the next.

“I think it was great,” she said. “The kids had an amazing time.”