Rainy Easter Fun on South Street

Despite heavy rain and the absence of a parade, the yearly Easter event on South Street turned into an unexpected spectacle. A modest crowd gathered in eye‑catching outfits, determined to lift the gloomy mood.

• Henri David, longtime organizer, spent a sleepless night crafting a 20‑pound waterproof hat studded with fake jellybeans.
• Frankford Candy supplied free jellybeans, keeping the atmosphere light and sweet.
• Local car dealer Gary Barbera lent a Tesla Cybertruck, decked out with promotional stickers.
• Barbera judged nine contests, including the “best razzle dazzle” award won by Michael Swiencki in a giant Easter Island mask and purple suit.
• Millinery expert Jamel Workman wore a green top‑hat homage to the Mad Hatter and spoke about reviving the lost craft that began with Stetson in Philadelphia.
• Judges included State Senator Nikil Saval, City Councilmember Mark Squilla, fashion designer Monica Thompson, and tourism official Binh Nguyen.

Attendance was limited; organizers counted participants by the number of bunny ears handed out, with only a few hundred distributed and just dozens in attendance.

Director Eleanor Ingersoll expressed disappointment over the bad weather but remained hopeful that future events, such as SpringFest on May 2, will benefit from better skies.