Scavenger hunt downtown lets kids explore small businesses

Families+tour+Main+Street+and+visit+local+businesses+participating+in+the+event.

Nadya Carreira

Families tour Main Street and visit local businesses participating in the event.

Nadya Carreira, Staff Writer

Downtown Pleasanton’s streets were lined with kids and their umbrellas on Saturday, April 16 for the annual Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt. The event went from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and started at the Museum on Main Street, featuring two maps and routes that brought you to different shops downtown. Each hint on the scavenger hunt led kids to treats, toys, and more. 

“We participate because we want to be involved in the community, and we want people to know we’re a friendly bike shop here to help. One part of it is that it helps promote business,” said a Superfly Wheels employee.

21 local businesses participated in the event, many of them long standing participants that were here when the tradition began more than ten years ago. For small and new businesses, participating in town events like these is even more important because they bring foot traffic and awareness to their businesses

“The store has been open for nine years, and I believe we’ve been doing this all nine years. We just like being downtown and in the community, and being part of the community means being a part of events like these. We have a kids portion of the store and we love having the kids be here,” said a Prim Boutique employee

Many parents and kids were involved, and loved greeting the people handing out treats. Most lived in Pleasanton, but people from nearby towns also came to partake in the fun. 

“We participate because we have kids, and the kids love it, it’s lots of fun. We’ve been doing this ever since my son was one, and he’s nine now. Events like this make downtown more inviting and more kid friendly,” said a parent from Pleasanton

There were a few businesses that didn’t participate, but even they noted that the tradition was lovely. American Harvest said this was the first year they decided to sit out on this event because in the past little kids had broken valuable merchandise.  

“It is very loved and historical in this community, it’s been happening for quite some time and something we are going to continue to do, and we’re mainly just happy to do things for the kids and the community,” said Gabrielle, the events manager for the Pleasanton Downtown Association, who organized the event.