Topeka EasterFest – The Topeka Easter Parade and Fun Fair – is back for 2022! The annual event began in Gage Park in 2014, then moved to Garfield Park in North Topeka in 2017. After being cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, the 7th Annual EasterFest will be held Saturday, April 16, 2022 (the day before Easter), with a parade on North Kansas Avenue that runs right past Garfield Park, followed by an egg hunt and fun fair.
Over three thousand people have attended the event in the past to watch the parade, visit the Fun Fair, listen to live music, visit over 70 vendor & exhibit booths, attend the Health Fair and take part in the big egg hunt or other activities.
Every year, dozens of churches, businesses and non-profit organizations take part in the parade, and dozens more set up vendor booths and kids’ games as part of the family fun fair. There have been lots of floats with a variety of themes, and all shapes and sizes of other vehicles, as well as walking entries such as schools, military groups, marching bands and more. The event is coordinated by Metro Voice and C5Alive, a Christian leadership offshoot of the Capital City Christian Chamber of Commerce (C5).
“We’ve had a great response and new entries each year at EasterFest,” said Kevin Doel, one of the organizers. “I expect it will just keep growing every year.”
Again this year the Easter Parade will be on North Kansas Avenue, from NOTO Arts District to Garfield Park, followed by the Big Egg Hunt in the Garfield Park playground area, facilitated by First Southern Baptist Church. From 10am to 3pm, vendor booths, food trucks, live music and kid’s activities will be happening all over Garfield Park, as well as inside the shelterhouse and inside the gym. This year, even more churches, non-profit organizations, schools and local businesses are expected to enter floats and vehicles in the parade, as well as set up activity booths at the fun fair.
The Family Fun Fair will consist of activities geared toward children and families, as well as health & wellness vendor booths, vendor exhibits, and more. Live performers will be on hand all day, such as bands, dance troupes, solo artists, health & fitness demonstrators and more.
Back are the ever-popular cupcake walks, along with face painting, petting zoo and food trucks.
There is still room for more EasterFest sponsors and participants for the Vendor Market, Entertainment Stage, Food Court and Health Fair. Volunteers are also needed to help with the entire event.
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Major sponsors for EasterFest 2022 include Integrity Insurance, Peggy Beasterfeld Tax & Accounting, Metro Voice News, Health & Wellness Magazine, The Pad Restaurant, Golden Eagle Casino, SERVPRO, Capital City Flooring, Rasmussen University, Frito-Lay, McCrite, Hutton Monument, ServPro, College HUNKS Movers, Kansas Fencing, Kaw Valley Bank, Christian Motorcycle Association, Davidson’s Funeral Home and more.
Media sponsors include WIBW, KSNT, Magic 107.7, WREN, Alpha Media and more.
For more information, visit www.TopekaEasterParade.com, email info@C5Alive.org or call 785-640-6399. You can also find updates at Topeka EasterFest 2022 on Facebook.
–Lee Hartman | Metro voice News
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