GALT, CA (MPG) - The Easter weekend in Galt proved to be a celebration of the spring season, welcoming its arrival with opportunities for the community to gather and enjoy the warm, sunny weather and time with neighbors.

The annual Eggstravaganza and Kite Day, hosted by the Galt Area Historical Society on April 4 at McFarland Ranch, was one of the first events marking spring in the city.

Families were welcomed to enjoy a variety of activities, including a pie-eating contest, a kids’ arts and crafts zone, Easter egg hunting and several local vendors offering treats and handmade products.

The event featured its staple children’s activity, the egg drop, which challenged youth participants to use their creativity to design a protective casing for an egg dropped from a bucket truck. After the drop, participants unwrapped their eggs to see whether they had survived without cracking to earn a prize.

 

Navarro Tree Service helped to facilitate the Eggstravaganza’s signature egg drop activity by using its bucket truck to drop protective egg contraptions created by young attendees, who aimed to keep their eggs from cracking to earn a prize. Photo by Idaly Valencia

This year, Navarro Tree Service helped to facilitate the activity by using its truck to drop the children’s protective egg contraptions. Designs ranged from plastic containers lined with stuffing to a plastic bag used as a parachute, with several proving to be effective.

Another long-held tradition, the pie-eating contest, is facilitated by the Galt Sunrise Rotary Club. There were two separate competitions held: one for adults and one for children. In total, 10 to 12 participants competed to see who could finish a pie the fastest.

Rotary President Rich Lozano told The Galt Herald that the club has been participating in the event for about 15 years and has consistently received positive feedback from folks who enjoy the tradition every year.

A regular contestant, an older man named Earl, is a longtime participant in the pie-eating contest and is known for helping fellow competitors.

“Earl has come back several years; he loves it,” Lozano said. “And every year we kind of have him coach it (pie eating contest) a little bit.”

Galt Sunrise Rotary Club members pose with the top three finishers from the adult pie-eating contest April 4 at the Galt Area Historical Society’s Eggstravaganza at McFarland Ranch. Photo courtesy of Galt Sunrise Rotary Club

The community event also provided an opportunity for local businesses and organizations to connect directly with residents.

Among those present was Purrfectly Pawsible, a locally based animal rescue founded in 2016 that focuses on spay and neuter awareness. The nonprofit is dedicated to improving the lives of community cats and local residents through its Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNvR) efforts.

Gayleen Gomez, vice president of Purrfectly Pawsible, said this was the nonprofit’s first time hosting a booth at the event, where it served as an informational space for residents to learn more about its work.

Two cats and two kittens, currently in the nonprofit’s foster program, were also present at the booth.

“We hope that through our efforts we will lessen the burden on the shelters,” Gomez said. “We are also trying to get information to the community about low-cost spay and neuter options for their pets.”

 

Gayleen Gomez, vice president of Purrfectly Pawsible, poses with a kitten at her booth during the Eggstravaganza event on April 4. The nonprofit was present to raise awareness of its Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNvR) efforts. Photo by Idaly Valencia

She noted that in rural communities such as Galt, larger stray cat colonies can be more common, which has led to efforts like a past partnership with Cal-Waste to provide resources for spaying and neutering community cats at its facility.

Other vendors were also present selling their products, including Ambre Shoneff of Sunday Soapery. Her booth featured handmade natural products described as luxury self-care items, including lip balms, lotion bars and soaps.

Shoneff, a Galt High alumna, established her business in 2023. She said that although she is a local, it was her first time participating in the Eggstravaganza event and visiting the historic ranch.

 

Ambre Shoneff of Sunday Soapery is pictured in front of her Eggstravaganza and Kite Day vendor booth on April 4 with her natural, handmade self-care products. Photo by Idaly Valencia

Organizers said this year’s event drew a smaller crowd than in previous years; however, the strong sense of community remained, and the smaller turnout created a calmer, less chaotic atmosphere that many attendees found more enjoyable. This especially worked out well for the children in attendance, who were originally limited to collecting 20 Easter eggs each from the 15,000 hidden around the ranch to ensure there would be enough for all participants.