Easter is right around the corner so what an egg-cellent opportunity to shop small and support the local community.
There are plenty of events to get into the spirit including an Easter Funday being held in Memory Park in Penrith on Sunday, April 2 between 10.30am and 1pm, so why not join on in the free fun and then visit a café close by.
To start off the long weekend in a relaxing way grab your tickets to hop on board the Nepean Belle Paddlewheeler for Good Friday on April 7.
You will cruise along the river from 12pm to 2.30pm while enjoying a two-course seafood lunch but tables are limited, so book now!
Chocolate is a must, so why not try the award-winning Zokoko Chocolate that will have products the whole family will love.
The Emu Heights factory and café specialises in making chocolate reflective of the origins of where the beans are grown.
“We have our single origin beans from Tanzania that is 70 per cent dark chocolate which we have in a classic bunny and large egg, as well as our blend of strawberry white chocolate and caramelised white chocolate which we are calling our strawberries and cream,” Zokoko owner Michelle Morgan said.
“Our Squirrels Delight is caramelised Australian hazelnuts blended with our creamy milk chocolate and rolled in more crushed nuts, so it is absolutely delicious.”
With a focus on ethical and sustainable practices, Morgan said people shopping local has positive flow-on effects.
“We work directly with growers in Bolivia, Solomon Islands and Tanzania and pay premium price for their products, so they aren’t mistreated,” she said.
“We take their hard work and effort to our processes so we can support other local businesses and suppliers, as well as employing people from the local area.”
Zokoko is open Monday to Saturday and will have extended trading ours in the week leading up to Easter.
For those that visit the Museum of Fire on Saturday, April 8 between 9.30am to 4.30pm there will be prizes for the little ones who can spot all the Easter bunnies while at the museum.
The Luddenham Easter Festival will have it all from April 7 to 10 with shows, rides, face painting and food galore.
Entry is $2 per person and parking is free.
If you want to go all out for Easter Sunday on April 9 then the Easter Carnival at Penrith Panthers is for you.
From 12pm to 8pm, there will be a range of activities, a petting zoo, a hot cross bun eating competition and rides that will entertain both big and little kids alike.
A graduate of Western Sydney University, Emily covers Local, State and Federal politics for the Weekender, as well as crime and general news.
