easter egg hunt takes over downtown silver spring

This weekend, kids and kids at heart took over downtown Silver Spring for the first-ever citywide Easter Egg Hunt, organized by Silver Spring Inc, a local group that promotes local businesses and artists. Hundreds of people came out to the old B&O rail station at Georgia and Sligo avenues Saturday afternoon for live music, arts and crafts, and a easter egg hunt featuring dozens of local businesses.

All photos by the author.

DJs and bands performed throughout the day, including groups from the School of Rock. Our old friend the Easter Bunny really got a kick out of the music.


Long Branch resident and Silver Spring Inc co-founder Pete Tan organized it with his girlfriend Boosaba Pananon (pictured), both of whom grew up in the area.

Dropping eggs in this box entered you to win the original framed artwork.

Hundreds of eggs were hidden in local businesses throughout downtown Silver Spring. There were small plastic eggs filled with candy for kids, and big paper eggs with gift certificates for adults. Local Silver Spring artists designed each of the eggs, and those who found them could enter to win the original artwork.

Inside the restored B&O station.

Folks from the Silver Spring Historical Society were on hand to show off the B&O rail station, which opened in 1945 and served as Silver Spring's train station until 1997, when a car crashed through the front door. Now fully restored, the space is open to the public once a month and available for event rentals.

Check out this slideshow with even more photos from the Easter egg hunt.

Over the past few months, I've gotten to know Pete and Boosaba and have been blown away by all of the great work they and the Silver Spring Inc team are doing. In a matter of weeks, they put together an amazing event that brought hundreds of people out to explore businesses and places they may not have seen otherwise. In fact, the event was successful that they ran low on eggs!

If you haven't already, check out their website, which features interviews from dozens of local residents, community leaders, and business owners (and yours truly. Their commitment to our community, and eagerness to celebrate the unique individuals and culture that make Silver Spring what it is, have made me even prouder to call this place home. Thanks, guys!