Annual Hop & Shop set for Saturday

RIDGWAY - The Ridgway-Elk County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to sponsor once again the Annual Hop & Shop event in downtown Ridgway.

This annual event highlights the downtown businesses, which hold special sales for the day while providing activities to engage chil

dren with games and face-painting, and is topped off with a 10,000 Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by the Awakening Alliance Church.

Beginning at 9 a.m. at the Courthouse Gazebo on Main Street, the Bethelem Lutheran Church Neighbors Feeding Neighbors program will hold a bake sale. All money raised from the sale goes to support the Neighbors Feeding Neighbors program that provides weekend food for area children who are food insecure in their homes when not in school. Donations are also welcome.

Starting off at 10 a.m. The Ridgway-Elk County Chamber of Commerce will begin numerous activities at the welcome center on Main Street to engage kids and prepare them for the big Easter Egg Hunt. These activities are sponsored by Kinetic by Windstream and Keystone Rural Health. Also, at 10 a.m. The Salvation Army store on Main Street will open with face painting, hot dogs and sodas, and a $5 fill-a-bag sale. Closing out the 10 a.m. time slot is the Ridgway Heritage Council Historical tour of Churches and homes. Time slots can be reserved for the guided tour by calling 814-7761424.

At 11 a.m., the big event of the day, the Annual Easter Egg Hunt, will begin at the Firemen's Carnival Grounds, located on North Broad Street. There will be over 10,000 eggs up for grabs, with special sections of the hunt designated for specific age levels, so everyone has a fair chance to gather the candy and prize-filled eggs. Also, beginning at 11 a.m., the Women of the Moose are sponsoring pictures with the Easter Bunny at the Gazebo on Main Street.

All of the events, except the Tour of Homes and Churches, are free of charge and open to everyone.

And if you miss the big Easter Egg Hunt at 11 a.m. Big Maple Farm Natural Therapies will hold another huge Easter Egg Hunt at 3 p.m. at their farm on Long Level Road in Ridgway Township. Come and cuddle with lambs and chicks and even horses. This event is also free of charge though donations are appreciated.