HOLYOKE – Calling all adults nostalgic about Easter Egg hunts – the Blooms and Brews Adult Spring Egg Hunt fundraiser will take place on May 21 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round.

The $30 registration fee includes entry, and the main event will be a flashlight spring egg hunt where the scattered Easter eggs will contain a variety of items including free drink tickets, door prizes, raffles, merry go round rides, food vouchers and nips of alcohol. There will also be food vendors and a cash bar available on location.

All proceeds raised will benefit the Mater Dolorosa Catholic School. The original event, called Bunnies and Brews, was cancelled the last two years due to COVID-19 concerns. If an individual purchased a ticket for either of the previous events, they are valid for this year.

Sheila Moreau, a school board member who also is in charge of development and fundraising, said the idea for this event came from looking for something different and something that might get more of the community at large involved.

“We were trying to think of something that would be different and fun for adults and we were thinking about what do kids like to do around this time of year. Well, an Easter egg hunt,” Moreau said. “We thought could we do something where we have adult surprises in the egg and that kind of thing. We found so many different ideas from different parts of the country, so we decided to go forward with it.”

Moreau said they wanted to do the fundraiser before Easter but with many people having busy schedules they held off the event until this month for nicer weather. She added the Merry-Go-Round was chosen as it is a child-themed space in the city.

“It’s the idea of be a kid again and be in this fun environment and hunt for eggs and win some prizes and support the school,” Moreau said.

Sponsoring the event is PeoplesBank, Holyoke Gas and Electric, New England Floor and Wall, 84 Lumbar, Holyoke Medical Center as well as a few other local businesses. This allows the event to pay for the resources needed while allowing the school to take the additional ticket and raffle sales raised.

Mater Dolorosa Catholic School will use the funds toward advancing anything in the school involving students, both academically and extracurricular.

“We want to be able to advance and enhance any of the academic programming or the extracurricular after school programs that go on at the school,” Moreau said.

In some Easter eggs will be vouchers to several local bars and restaurants like Griffin’s Café, Brennan’s, the Halfway in South Hadley, the Knights of Columbus, Nick’s Nest and a handful of others. Moreau added Dunkin Donuts just donated 250 gift cards so each person who comes will receive a $5 gift card to Dunkin.
Other eggs will also have candy and scratch tickets to go along with the other possible prizes for those attending. One of the biggest prizes being offered through the hunt was donated from the Worcester Red Sox, or the WooSox. The minor league baseball team donated four box seats and other merchandise for the event.

“We’ve had this two years of not being able to gather as a community and I think its going to be really nice to do something different and be together and do something fun and something to support the school,” Moreau said.

Those who choose to attend are encouraged to dress casually as they will be hunting outside at dusk to collect some of more than 1,000 Easter egg prizes. This event is 21years of age and older. Questions about the event can be sent to Moreau via email at Sheila.moreau@gmail.com or Nora Moreau at noramoreau@aol.com.