'Supermoon' May Outshine Meteor Shower This Weekend

The biggest full moon of the year, a so-called "supermoon," will take center stage when it rises this weekend, and may interfere with the peak of an annual meteor shower created by the leftovers from Halley's comet.

The supermoon of 2012 is the biggest full moon of the yearand will occur on Saturday (May 5) at 11:35 p.m. EDT (0335 May 6), though the moon may still appear full to skywatchers on the day before and after the actual event. At the same time, the annual Eta Aquarid meteor shower will be hitting its peak, NASA scientists say.

"Its light will wash out the fainter Eta Aquarid meteors," NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke of the Marshall Space Flight Center told SPACE.com in an email. Still, Cooke said there's a chance that the brightest fireballs from the meteor display may still be visible.

A supermoon occurs when the moon hits its full phase at the same time it makes closest approach to Earth for the month, a lunar milestone known as perigee. Scientists also refer to the event as a "perigee moon," according to a NASA video on the 2012 supermoon.

That's exactly what will happen on Saturday, when the moon will swing within 221,802 miles (356,955 kilometers) of Earth — its closest approach of the entire year. Because the moon's orbit is not exactly circular, there is a 3-percent variation in its closest approaches to Earth each month. Theaverage Earth-moon distance is about 230,000 miles (384,400 km).

With May's full moon timed with the moon's perigee, it could appear 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than other full moons of 2012, astronomer Tony Phillips explained in a NASA video. There is absolutely no chance the supermoon will threaten Earth.

The last supermoon was in March 2011. At the time, it was the biggest and brightest full moon in 18 years. [Amazing Supermoon Photos from 2011]

While the moon's extra brightness during the supermoon may wash out some of the fainter Eta Aquarid meteors, all is not lost, Cooke said.

"Our fireball cameras have already detected four bright ones. So I would say that the odds are pretty good that folks can see a bit of Halley's Comet over the next few days, if they care to take the time to look," Cooke explained. "They will be the big and bright ones, fewer in number with a rate of just a few per hour, but they will be there."

Cooke anticipates that the 2012 Eta Aquarid meteor shower will peak at up to 60 meteors per hour on May 5.

The eta Aquarid display is one of two meteor showers created by dust from Halley's comet (the Orionid shower in October is the other). It occurs every April and May when the Earth passes through a stream of debris cast off by comet Halley during its 76-year trip around the sun.

The eta Aquarid meteor shower of 2012 actually began on April 19 and ends on May 28, but its peak is in the overnight period between Saturday and Sunday (May 5 and 6).

"Meteor watchers in the Southern Hemisphere stand the best chance of seeing any meteors," a NASA advisory from the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory explained.

NASA - Q & A's, 2012: Beginning of the End or Why the World Won't End?

Remember the Y2K scare? It came and went without much of a whimper because of adequate planning and analysis of the situation. Impressive movie special effects aside, Dec. 21, 2012, won't be the end of the world as we know. It will, however, be another winter solstice. 

Much like Y2K, 2012 has been analyzed and the science of the end of the Earth thoroughly studied. Contrary to some of the common beliefs out there, the science behind the end of the world quickly unravels when pinned down to the 2012 timeline. Below, NASA Scientists answer several questions that we're frequently asked regarding 2012.

Question (Q): Are there any threats to the Earth in 2012? Many Internet websites say the world will end in December 2012.
Answer (A): Nothing bad will happen to the Earth in 2012. Our planet has been getting along just fine for more than 4 billion years, and credible scientists worldwide know of no threat associated with 2012. 

Q: What is the origin of the prediction that the world will end in 2012?
A: The story started with claims that Nibiru, a supposed planet discovered by the Sumerians, is headed toward Earth. This catastrophe was initially predicted for May 2003, but when nothing happened the doomsday date was moved forward to December 2012. Then these two fables were linked to the end of one of the cycles in the ancient Mayan calendar at the winter solstice in 2012 -- hence the predicted doomsday date of December 21, 2012.

Q: Does the Mayan calendar end in December 2012?
A: Just as the calendar you have on your kitchen wall does not cease to exist after December 31, the Mayan calendar does not cease to exist on December 21, 2012. This date is the end of the Mayan long-count period but then -- just as your calendar begins again on January 1 -- another long-count period begins for the Mayan calendar.

Q: Could phenomena occur where planets align in a way that impacts Earth?
A: There are no planetary alignments in the next few decades, Earth will not cross the galactic plane in 2012, and even if these alignments were to occur, their effects on the Earth would be negligible. Each December the Earth and sun align with the approximate center of the Milky Way Galaxy but that is an annual event of no consequence.

Q: Is there a planet or brown dwarf called Nibiru or Planet X or Eris that is approaching the Earth and threatening our planet with widespread destruction?
A: Nibiru and other stories about wayward planets are an Internet hoax. There is no factual basis for these claims. If Nibiru or Planet X were real and headed for an encounter with the Earth in 2012, astronomers would have been tracking it for at least the past decade, and it would be visible by now to the naked eye. Obviously, it does not exist. Eris is real, but it is a dwarf planet similar to Pluto that will remain in the outer solar system; the closest it can come to Earth is about 4 billion miles. 

Q: What is the polar shift theory? Is it true that the earth’s crust does a 180-degree rotation around the core in a matter of days if not hours? 
A: A reversal in the rotation of Earth is impossible. There are slow movements of the continents (for example Antarctica was near the equator hundreds of millions of years ago), but that is irrelevant to claims of reversal of the rotational poles. However, many of the disaster websites pull a bait-and-switch to fool people. They claim a relationship between the rotation and the magnetic polarity of Earth, which does change irregularly, with a magnetic reversal taking place every 400,000 years on average. As far as we know, such a magnetic reversal doesn’t cause any harm to life on Earth. A magnetic reversal is very unlikely to happen in the next few millennia, anyway. 
› More about polar shift 

Earth, as seen in the Blue Marble: Next Generation collection of images, showing the color of the planet's surface in high resolution. This image shows South America from September 2004.Q: Is the Earth in danger of being hit by a meteor in 2012?
A: The Earth has always been subject to impacts by comets and asteroids, although big hits are very rare. The last big impact was 65 million years ago, and that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs. Today NASA astronomers are carrying out a survey called the Spaceguard Survey to find any large near-Earth asteroids long before they hit. We have already determined that there are no threatening asteroids as large as the one that killed the dinosaurs. All this work is done openly with the discoveries posted every day on the NASA NEO Program Office website, so you can see for yourself that nothing is predicted to hit in 2012.

Q: How do NASA scientists feel about claims of pending doomsday?
A: For any claims of disaster or dramatic changes in 2012, where is the science? Where is the evidence? There is none, and for all the fictional assertions, whether they are made in books, movies, documentaries or over the Internet, we cannot change that simple fact. There is no credible evidence for any of the assertions made in support of unusual events taking place in December 2012.


Q: Is there a danger from giant solar storms predicted for 2012?
A: Solar activity has a regular cycle, with peaks approximately every 11 years. Near these activity peaks, solar flares can cause some interruption of satellite communications, although engineers are learning how to build electronics that are protected against most solar storms. But there is no special risk associated with 2012. The next solar maximum will occur in the 2012-2014 time frame and is predicted to be an average solar cycle, no different than previous cycles throughout history.

Bizarre cosmic ray mystery deepens - CSMonitor.com

Cosmic rays are charged subatomic particles that streak to Earth from deep in outer space. A few rare cosmic rays are extraordinarily powerful, with energies up to 100 million times greater than any attained by human-made particle colliders, such as CERN's Large Hadron Collider. The sources of these cosmic rays are a mystery.

"Nature is capable of accelerating elementary particles to macroscopic energies," said study co-author Francis Halzen at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, principal investigator at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, a massive telescope designed to find the tiny subatomic particles. "There are basically only two ideas on how she does this — in gravitationally driven particle flows near the supermassive black holes at the centers of active galaxies, and in the collapse of stars to a black hole, seen by astronomers as gamma-ray bursts."

The prime suspect

Gamma-ray bursts are the most powerful explosions in the universe. They can emit as much energy as our sun during its entire 10-billion-year lifetime in anywhere from milliseconds to minutes.

"Some gamma-ray bursts are thought to be collapses of supermassive stars — hypernovas — while others are thought to be collisions of black holes with other black holes or neutron stars," said study co-author Spencer Klein of the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. "Both types produce brief but intense blasts of radiation."

New evidence may now rule out gamma-ray bursts as sources of these ultra-high-energy cosmic rays.

Researchers employed the IceCube neutrino detector, an array of thousands of detectors encompassing a cubic kilometer of clear Antarctic ice at the South Pole. Neutrinos are ghostly particles that often pass right through matter, only rarely striking atoms.

"This is a coming-of-age for neutrino astronomy — the first time we're able to use neutrino data as a new way of looking at astrophysical objects and say something substantive about them," said study co-author Nathan Whitehorn, a physicist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who led the recent gamma-ray burst research with Peter Redl of the University of Maryland.

Global Warming is Klicken in, 2012

 It's been so warm in the United States this year, especially in March, that national records weren't just broken, they were deep-fried.

Temperatures in the lower 48 states were 8.6 degrees above normal for March and 6 degrees higher than average for the first three months of the year, according to calculations by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. That far exceeds the old records.

The magnitude of how unusual the year has been in the U.S. has alarmed some meteorologists who have warned about global warming. One climate scientist said it's the weather equivalent of a baseball player on steroids, with old records obliterated.

"Everybody has this uneasy feeling. This is weird. This is not good," said Jerry Meehl, a climate scientist who specializes in extreme weather at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo. "It's a guilty pleasure. You're out enjoying this nice March weather, but you know it's not a good thing."

It's not just March.

"It's been ongoing for several months," said Jake Crouch, a climate scientist at NOAA's National Climatic Data Center in Ashville, N.C.

Meteorologists say an unusual confluence of several weather patterns, including La Nina, was the direct cause of the warm start to 2012. While individual events can't be blamed on global warming, Couch said this is like the extremes that are supposed to get more frequent because of manmade climate change from the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil.

It's important to note that this unusual winter heat is mostly a North America phenomenon. Much of the rest of the Northern Hemisphere has been cold, said NOAA meteorologist Martin Hoerling.

The first quarter of 2012 broke the January-March record by 1.4 degrees. Usually records are broken by just one- or two-tenths of a degree. U.S. temperature records date to 1895.

The atypical heat goes back even further. The U.S. winter of 2010-2011 was slightly cooler than normal and one of the snowiest in recent years, but after that things started heating up. The summer of 2011 was the second warmest summer on record.

The winter that just ended, which in some places was called the year without winter, was the fourth warmest on record. Since last April, it's been the hottest 12-month stretch on record, Crouch said.

But the month where the warmth turned especially weird was March.

Normally, March averages 42.5 degrees across the country. This year, the average was 51.1, which is closer to the average for April. Only one other time - in January 2006 - was the country as a whole that much hotter than normal for an entire month.

The "icebox of America," International Falls, Minn., saw temperatures in the 70s for five days in March, and there were only three days of below zero temperatures all month.

In March, at least 7,775 weather stations across the nation broke daily high temperature records and another 7,517 broke records for night-time heat. Combined, that's more high temperature records broken in one month than ever before, Crouch said.

"When you look at what's happened in March this year, it's beyond unbelievable," said University of Victoria climate scientist Andrew Weaver.

NOAA climate scientist Gabriel Vecchi compared the increase in weather extremes to baseball players on steroids: You can't say an individual homer is because of steroids, but they are hit more often and the long-held records for home runs fall.

They seem to be falling far more often because of global warming, said NASA top climate scientist James Hansen. In a paper he submitted to the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and posted on a physics research archive, Hansen shows that heat extremes aren't just increasing but happening far more often than scientists thought.

What used to be a 1-in-400 hot temperature record is now a 1 in 10 occurrence, essentially 40 times more likely, said Hansen. The warmth in March is an ideal illustration of this, said Hansen, who also has become an activist in fighting fossil fuels.

It’s official. This was “the warmest March on record” since records began in 1895, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

How hot was it? It was so hot that NOAA reports “there were 15,272 warm temperature records broken (7,755 daytime records, 7,517 nighttime records).”

NOAA released some amazing charts and factoids yesterday:

Hundreds of locations across the country broke their all-time March records. There were 21 instances of the nighttime temperatures being as warm, or warmer, than the existing record daytime temperature for a given date.

A persistent weather pattern led to 25 states east of the Rockies having their warmest March on record. An additional 15 states had monthly temperatures ranking among their ten warmest.

NOAA’s U.S. Climate Extremes Index, an index that tracks the highest 10 percent and lowest 10 percent of extremes in temperature, precipitation, drought and tropical cyclones, was 39 percent, nearly twice the long-term average and the highest value on record for the January-March period [see figure]:

Florida, Easter Egg Hunts, 2012

Florida

• The Town of Jupiter’s annual Easter Egg Hunt - Saturday, April 3 at 9:30 am
  the Jupiter Community Center lawn, 200 Military Trail, Jupiter, FL. Phone: (561) 741-2400. Children are separated into age groups to find treats and prize eggs. All children, accompanied by adults, should bring their own baskets. Prizes are donated by Kilwin’s Chocolates in Jupiter. In addition to the hunt, there will be bounce houses and face painting. The Easter Bunny will make a special appearance from 10 to 11:30 am. Parking will be at the Jupiter Community Center and Town Hall. Overflow parking will be available at Jupiter High School.
• Family Life Ministries Annual Easter Egg Hunt - No update for 2011 yet - be sure to call to confirm before you go!), starts at 12 pm
  Belleview Sports Complex, 6547 S.E. 107th Street, Belleview, FL. Separated into five age groups held concurrently at noon Saturday at five ballfields with between 5,000 and 7,000 eggs for each field. The groups are 3 and younger, 4 to 6, 7 to 8, 9 to 10 and 11 to 12.
• Lake Lillian Easter Egg Hunt - Saturday, April 23, 2011 (call to confirm before you go!), Call for hours
  Belleview, FL. Sponsored by Belleview Heating and Air. Other activities include games, pony rides, a raffle for a new bicycle and a visit from the Easter Bunny between 10:30 am and 12:15 pm.Times for the age-bracketed hunts at Lake Lillian are 3 years old and younger, 11 am; 4-7 years old, 11:30; and 8-12, noon.
• Also see this page for many Easter egg hunts in Indian River County

Broward County

• Eggstravaganza - South Florida's Largest Easter Egg Hunt - Easter egg hunts for infant, Easter egg hunts for toddlers, Easter egg hunts for children, Easter egg hunts for all ages (includes adults), Tents or other provisions are made for bad weather, Cancelled in inclement weather (call if the weather looks bad), FREE admission, Other activities for children, Bring a basket to collect the eggs!, concessions / refreshment stand, porta-potties, Bouncy castle
  5050 Wiles Road, Coconut Creek, FL 33073. Phone: 954-222-5555 . Alternate Phone: (954) 573-6932 . Email: tj@coastalcommunity.tv. Open: Registration begins at 10am and event May last up until 2pm or 3pm. Open: Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Directions:Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Click here for our Facebook page. Join us for EGGSTRAVAGANZA, South Florida's largest FREE egg hunt on Saturday, April 16 (registration begins at 10am). We will have over 55,000 eggs for your children to hunt in age appropriate groupings. This event is for the entire family with free bounce houses, refreshments, food and lots of fun. PRE-REGISTER on the website atwww.eggstravaganza.org to reserve your family's spot in all the fun and be entered in a drawing to win a MEGA prize. )

Charlotte County

• 47th Annual Easter Egg Hunt - Easter egg hunts for infant, Easter egg hunts for toddlers, Easter egg hunts for children, The Easter bunny will make an appearance, Cancelled in inclement weather (call if the weather looks bad), FREE admission, Children's crafts, Other activities for children, Bring a basket to collect the eggs!, concessions / refreshment stand, restrooms, face painting
  North Charlotte Regional Park Soccer Fields 1185 O'Donnell Boulevard, Port Charlotte, FL 33948. Phone: 941-627-1074 . Open: Saturday, April 23, 2011, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Directions: Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. Bounce Houses, Carnival Games, Golden Eggs, and much more! A program of Charlotte County Government. Children Activities start at 9:00 am and last until 12:00 pm. Egg Hunts will be available for children ages 0 to 9 years *Parents will be able to assist children 3 years of age or younger. Egg Hunt times vary according to age group. 
• Spring Spectacular and Craft "EGG"stravaganza -
  2333El JoBean, Port Charlotte, FL 33981. Phone: 941-429-6160 . Open: April 7th and 8th, 2012 Sat 10-5 and Sun. 10-4. The easter egg hunt will take place from 10-2pm one age group an hours from ages 0-10 years old. the Easter Bunny will be there for photos and there will be an extreme kids zone and much more for the kids to do...over 150 crafters will be on hand with handmade items and much more... there is admission at the gate for adults and a child gets in FREE with adult ticket (

Duval County

• Catty Shack Ranch Easter Fundraiser - Easter egg hunts for all ages (includes adults), There is an admission fee, Children's crafts, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, picnic area, face painting, birthday parties, school tours, events at your location (call for info)
  The Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary 1860 Starratt Road, Jacksonville, FL 32226. Phone: 904-757-3603 . Alternate Phone: 904-874-1421 . Fax: 904-4181. Email: kim@cattyshack.com. Open: Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Directions: Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Visa/MasterCard. Click here for our Facebook page. The Catty Shack Ranch is dedicated the rescue and care of big cats. We provide sanctuary to cats confiscated by the state for illegal ownership, improper enclosures or maltreatment. We also educate the public to discourage illegal, private ownership. Wild animals, especially big cats, do not make good pets. 

Hillsborough County

• Cotton Tail Express - Saturday, April 23, 2011 at 9 am, 12 pm & 3 pm
  Florida Railroad Museum, 12210 83rd St East, Parrish, FL 34219. Cost: 18 adults; $14 kids age 3-11. The Museum will be operating diesel powered excursions to our Easter Egg patch today! Upon arrival, many activities are planned including our annual Easter Egg Hunt. Mr. Bunny will also be available to greet all the children. The entire round-trip will last approximately 2.5 hours. The Party Caboose is also available for charter. Train Departs with the Party Caboose at: 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM.
• Easter Ape Hunt EGGstravaganza - the Saturday and Sunday before Easter, April 16-17, 2011 from 10 am to 4 pm
  Suncoast Primate Sanctuary, 4600 Alternate 19, Palm Harbor, FL. Phone: (727) 410-5491. Email acstrinityrelay@hotmail.com. Cost: $5 per person; Parking is FREE. Join the Sanctuary and Relay For Life on April 16 & 17 to raise awareness and funds for both charities. Enjoy food, music, games, egg hunt, bounce house, The Easter Bunny and more. Admission is ONLY $5 and directly benefits both the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary and the American Cancer Society Relay For Life. Event is from 10am to 4pm. Easter Egg Hunt at 2pm. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
• EGGSPO - Saturday, April 23, 2011 from 9 am to 6 pm
  Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), 4801 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33617. Cost: EGGSPO is a celebration of the egg. Activities at EGGSPO include an egg scavenger hunt, egg toss and catapult and a safe egg drop. This year, EGGSPO will also discuss insects that are hatched from eggs. Free to MOSI members and free with paid general admission to MOSI.
• Highland’s Flashlight Egg Hunt - Saturday, April 9, 2011 at 7 pm
  Highland Recreation Complex, 400 Highland Ave NE, Largo, FL 33770-2551. Cost: $8 per child. Children ages walking to 12 years old will be placed into age groups and let loose to gather eggs and win prizes. Kids will also enjoy glow in the dark miniature golf, crafts, music and a visit from the Easter Bunny. Age group hunts are held every 30 minutes, beginning at 7:15 pm The event will wrap up with a parent hunt beginning at 9:15 pm. Don’t forget to bring a basket and a flashlight!
• Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park Easter Egg Hunt - Saturday, April 23, 2011 at 8 am
  Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, 4150 S. Suncoast Blvd., Homosassa, FL 34446. Phone: (352) 628-5343 .
  The Friends of Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park will hold an Easter Egg Hunt for area children. Activities include an Easter Egg hunt for plastic eggs, which can be redeemed for goodies and trinkets. Parents can take children's photos with the Easter Bunny and other costumed characters. Cost: Donation of $5.00 for children includes admission to park. Adults receive a 33% discount on park admission. Directions: Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park is located in Homosassa Springs, 75 miles north of Tampa on U.S. 19 and 90 miles northwest of Orlando.
• HorsePower for Kids - Easter egg hunts for toddlers, Easter egg hunts for children, The Easter bunny will make an appearance, Visits and photos with the Easter Rabbit, Cancelled in inclement weather (call if the weather looks bad), There is an admission fee, Children's crafts, Other activities for children, Bring a basket to collect the eggs!, Farm animals are present, concessions / refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, face painting, pony rides, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties, school tours, events at your location (call for info)
  8005 South Racetrack Road, Tampa, FL 33635. Phone: 813-855-8992 . Email: 4dreams@horsepowerforkids.com. Open: Every Saturday and Sunday in March and April; Noon until 5 pm. Open: Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Directions: Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check, Debit cards, Visa/MasterCard. Click here for our Facebook page. General admission is $5 per person on days when a special event is not scheduled. Please check our website for other pricing for our various seasonal events. Generally, children under the age of 12 months are free. Most of our events are for children of all ages, and we have lots of horses, ponies, and other farm animals that you can interact with. (
• Hydro Harvest Farms - FREE admission, Children's crafts, Other activities for children, Honey from hives on the farm, Fresh eggs, concessions / refreshment stand, porta-potties, picnic area, birthday parties, school tours
  1101 Shell Point Road E, Ruskin , FL 33570. Phone: 813-645-6574 . Alternate Phone: 941-915-7208 . Email: john@hydroharvestfarms.com. Open: Our Easter Event is FREE; The Date and Time will be announced soon. Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Directions: Take I 75 to Exit 240, Ruskin. Go west and at second light turn right (21 street east). Go to stop sign (Shell Point Road E), turn left. farm will be 1/2 mile on the left. Click here for a map and directions. Strawberries December 1 pm to June 1, Pumpkin Patch October 6 to November 5, Christmas Trees December 1 through December 25;. Payment: Cash, Check, Visa/MasterCard, Discover, SFMNP Vouchers. Click here for our Facebook page. Hydro Harvest Farms is a family farm. We believe in Community and want every child to have a chance to see how food is grown. We go to schools and give demonstrations in the class. We are always invited to the Florida State Fair in the AgVenture, to demonstrate Hydroponic Growing. We are invited every year to the Epcot International Flower and Garden Show, to demonstrate our farm. This is the future, but actually it is NOW!. (UPDATED: October 14, 2011)
• Manatee County Parks Easter Egg Hunt - Saturday, April 23, 2011 from 9 am to 12 pm
  G.T. Bray Park, 3001 59th St. W, Bradenton, FL 34209. Cost: FREE (but donations will be accepted at the gate). Manatee County Parks and Recreation continues to host its annual Easter Egg Hunt at G.T. Bray Park. Features a 36,000 egg hunt for children ages eight years and younger, carnival games, and interactive bounce houses. Donations will be accepted at the gate.
• Northdale Park Easter Egg Hunt - Saturday, April 23, 2011 at 10-11 am, FREE
  Northdale Park, 15550 Spring Pine Drive, Tampa, FL 33624. Cost: FREE Admission and Parking. Children 10 years and younger are invited to participate in an Easter Egg Hunt. There will be door prizes, and kids can meet the Easter Bunny.
• Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Coachman Park - Sunday, April 24, 2011, from 12:00 Noon and goes until 2:00 pm
  Coachman Park, 301 Drew Street, Clearwater, Florida 33755. Cost: Egg Hunt is FREE; small charge for refreshments and some rides.
  They have a petting zoo, pony rides, bouncy house, giant blow up slide, face painting, live entertainment, and more, plus the main event—the Easter Egg Hunt—which happens exactly at 12:30 pm. Please do not be late or your child will miss the chance to find the very coveted Golden Eggs that win a number of lucky children a free stuffed bunny. Each year there are several areas that are fenced off just for the little ones, as well as the main area for the bigger kids. Be sure your child brings an Easter basket or a bag to put all of his eggs into, and be sure to bring a camera as you may want to take pictures with our wandering Easter Bunnies.
• Oldsmar Easter Egg Hunt - Saturday, April 16, 2011 at 9 am; FREE
  R.E. Olds Park, 107 Shore Drive W., Oldsmar, FL 34677. Phone: (813) 749-1260 . Children up to age 12. 5,000 eggs filled with small toys, candy and a few special mystery prizes. The hunts will be broken down by age groups.
• Spring Fest Fundraiser at HorsePower for Kids - Easter egg hunts for toddlers, Easter egg hunts for children, The Easter bunny will make an appearance, Visits and photos with the Easter Rabbit, Cancelled in inclement weather (call if the weather looks bad), There is an admission fee, Children's crafts, Children's music and storytelling, Other activities for children, Bring a basket to collect the eggs!, Farm animals are present, gift shop, restrooms, picnic area, face painting, Bouncy castle, pony rides, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties, events at your location (call for info)
  8005 Racetrack Rd, Tampa, FL 33635. Phone: 813-855-8992 . Email: 4dreams@horsepowerforkids.com. Open: Saturday April 9 Sunday April 10 Saturday April 16 Sunday April 17 Saturday April 23 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Open: Click here for current open hours, days and dates.Directions: Two blocks south Tampa Road /Hillsborough Ave. Payment: Cash, only. Pony rides, hayrides, train rides, petting zoo, face painting ,bounce house ,games ,prices, music, baby chicks ,bunnies, ducks. Hot dog and drink all included in price .Children $10 adults $6 This is a fundraiser Our mission at HorsePower for Kids is to serve inner-city children, at-risk children, and any child that could benefit from riding, learning about, and loving horses. Studies show that horses improve self-esteem, character, work ethic, social skills, and academic performance. 
• Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center Easter Eggstravaganza - April - We have NO confirmation of this event for 2011
  Tampa, Florida. Phone: Julia freeman, 727-579-2000 . Hunt for 50,000 Easter Eggs at the Performing Arts Center. Many activities, from free photos with the Easter Bunny to a free breakfast, face painting, petting zoo and other activities. In conjunction with Magic 94.9 F.

Lake County

• Stanley Pond Adventure Farm - Easter egg hunts for infant, Easter egg hunts for toddlers, Easter egg hunts for children, Visits and photos with the Easter Rabbit, Cancelled in inclement weather (call if the weather looks bad), Other activities for children, Bring a basket to collect the eggs!, Farm animals are present, concessions / refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, face painting, pony rides, farm animals, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties, school tours, events at your location (call for info)
  15426 County Road 48, Astatula, FL 34705. Phone: 352-742-8180 . Alternate Phone: 352-516-4937 . Email: info@stanleypondfarm.net. Open: Easter Event April 1st - April 30 Monday - Wednesday Group/field trip reservation(minimum group 10) Thursday - Sat 10:00am to 6:00pm Sunday 1:00pm to 5:00pm Will be closed Easter Sunday. Open: Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Directions: Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. Click here for our Facebook page. We also have a 1 acre Day-lily farm. Two gallon pots fully grown, fully rooted day-lilies for sale. Buy 2 Get 1 Free Sale beginning March 1, 2010. 2 acres of beautiful 100 gallon ligustrum tree wholesale and retail prices available. Catfish Junction. A catfish fee fishing, stocked 5 acre pond. Catch and release. No fishing license necessary. Please visit our website for detailed information. Fun for all ages. Mini airboat rides, hayrides, horse rides, cow-barrel train ride, admission is always free, purchase one of our affordable token packages to enjoy the rides. December and January our Winter Wonderland will be going on! Hot chocolate, horse rides in the snow, 18ft snowman, pictures with Santa, be a snowman face in or picture opportunity, so bring your camera and be ready for some Winter Fun! (UPDATED: December 06, 2010)

Lee County

• M & D Stables - Easter egg hunts for all ages (includes adults), Cancelled in inclement weather (call if the weather looks bad), FREE admission, Children's crafts, Children's music and storytelling, Other activities for children, Bring a basket to collect the eggs!, Farm animals are present,
  11860 Homestead Lane, Fort Myers , FL 33905. Phone: 239-288-1119 . Email: mistyblue31fla@aol.com. Open: 8am. Directions: exit 143 on I-75. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Check. (

Marion County

• Paas Eggstravaganza - no update for 2011 yet - be sure to see their website or call to confirm before you go!), Between 10 am and 2 p.m
  Tuscawilla Park, 700 Northeast Sanchez Avenue, Ocala, FL. 25,000 goodie-filled eggs will be planted. There will also be cookies and hard-boiled eggs to decorate and visits from Cotton the Bunny, Feathers the Duck and Terrance the Turtle , plus clowns, face painting, games, rides, magic shows. The egg hunt just for children with special needs begins at 10:30 am Then: 1-2 years old, 11 am; 3-4 years old, 11:30 am; 5-6 years old, noon; 7-8 years old, 12:30 pm; and 9-10 years old, 1 pm. The hunt is free! Food will be available for purchase.
• College Park Church Easter egg hunt - Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011 at 10 a.m.
  College Park Church, 3140 SW 26th St., Ocala. (237-2247)
• Community Easter egg hunt - Friday, April 22, 2011, 10:30 am
  Hawthorne Village of Ocala, 4100 SW 33rd Ave., Ocala. Free. 352-237-7776 .
• Easter at Tom's Park - Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011 from 10:00a to 1:00p
  First Love Church, Tom's Park, North Magnolia, Ocala, FL. Phone: (352) 598-6878 . We will share the story of Jesus and why we celebrate Easter. Huge EGG HUNT, BOUNCE HOUSE, AND MORE for kids. FREE food, drinks and desserts. Bring your chairs or blankets and sunscreen (maybe bugspray). Price: free
• Peace Lutheran Church Easter egg hunt - Sunday, April 24, 2011, will be held following breakfast at 9:30 a.m.
  Peace Lutheran Church, 7201 S. U.S. 41, Dunnellon, FL. Phone: (352) 489-5881 .
• Progressive Union Missionary Baptist Church Easter program and egg hunt - Sunday, April 24, 2011 at 11 a.m.
  8792 NW 38th Ave. Road, Ocala. (352) 622-8320 .
• St. John Lutheran Churc Easter egg hunt - Saturday, April 23, 2011, from noon to 2 pm
  St. John Lutheran Church, 10495 Sunset Harbor Road, Summerfield, FL. Phone: (352) 288-2041.Clowns, games, lunch for all.
• Trinity Lutheran Church Easter egg hunt - Sunday, April 24, 2011, at 9:30 a.m.
  Trinity Lutheran Church, 4001 NE 35th Ave., Ocala, FL. Phone: (352) 840-0711 .

Miami-Dade County

• Miami Metrozoo Easter Egg Safari - Date: Saturday and Sunday before Easter, Check their website for this years date!
  For children 12 and under, there'll be continuous egg safaris, plus face painting, crafts, a bounce house, rock climbing, Easter Bunny and more. free with regular admission; bring your own basket.
• Miami Seaquarium Easter Egg Hunt - early April (April 9, 10, and 11 in 2012)
  The Annual Easter Egg Hunt Celebration at Miami Seaquarium returns with more fun and excitement than ever before. The annual event, now in its 10th year, features Easter Bunny appearances, Easter Egg Hunts running continuously throughout the day, lots of prizes and surprises, the all new South Florida Parenting ‘Bunny Zone’ and a special arrival ceremony at 11:00 am each day for the Easter Bunny. Part proceeds of the annual event benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Miami. In addition to the park’s regularly scheduled shows and exhibits, the 3-day Easter Weekend festivities will include a 5 acre Bunnypalooza packed with huge inflatable rides, a giant Fun Slide, bounces houses for big and small kids, exciting mechanical rides, music, face painting, games and other fun activities for the whole family to enjoy. South Florida Parenting's Bunny Zone will feature a bunny hospital, bunny hat craft, and a bunny treasure hunt. Exhibitors in the Bunny Zone will provide a variety of interactivities for the kids, including tennis demos, musical entertainment, toddler play, musical games, science experiments and face painting. Egg hunts for big kids and little ones will run continuously throughout the celebration from 10:00 am to 4:00 p.m each day. Every Egg hunter will receive a goodie bag packed with a variety of candies, goodies and special prizes.Each day the Easter Bunny will make a grand entrance during a special arrival ceremony at 11:00 am The Easter Bunny will arrive sirens blaring on a fire truck accompanied by costumed characters from Miami Seaquarium, local sports teams and other special guests.

Osceola County

• Green Meadows Farm Easter Egg Hunt - Easter egg hunts for toddlers, Easter egg hunts for children, Easter egg hunts for all ages (includes adults), The Easter bunny will make an appearance, There is an admission fee, Other activities for children, Bring a basket to collect the eggs!, Farm animals are present, gift shop, concessions / refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, pony rides, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours
  1368 South Poinciana Blvd., Kissimmee, FL 34746. Phone: 407-846-0770 . Open: April 22 thru April 24,2011 times are 11:30am 12:30pm 1:30pm and 2:30pm. Open: Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Directions: From I-4 West:Exit 58(Hwy.532)to Orange Blossom Trail,turn left,go 3 miles to Poinciana Bvld.turn left then 3/4 mile on your left. From I-4 East: Exit 68 (Hwy.535s)3 miles to Poinciana Blvd.,turn right ,go 6 more miles we're on the right!. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa/MasterCard, Discover. Click here for our Facebook page. Easter Egg Hunt will be part of your paid admission which includes a 2 hour guided walking tour of the farm that includes milking a cow,hay ride,train ride,pony ride for small children touching the animals! Picinic areas available also. Come have an Udderly Awesome time on the farm!!

Orange County

• East Orlando Community Easter Egg Hunt - March 21, 2010, from 3 pm to 4:30 pm
  Eastwood Central Park -Off Golfway Blvd, Orlando, FL 32828. Phone: 407-273-8368 . Open: March 21, 2010, from 3 pm to 4:30 pm. Hunt for over 4000 eggs free Bounce Houses free Face Painting free Bottled water and ice pops. free event for the whole family. (Suggested by a visitor, 
• Golden Easter Egg Hunt at Highland Manor - Sunday, April 24, 2011 Brunch 11am-6pm 2 - Golden Easter Egg Hunts - 1pm and 3pm
  604 East Main St., Apopka, FL 32703. Phone: 407 886-6226. Email: melissa_blasio@highlandmanorapopka.com. Open: Sunday, April 24, 2011 Brunch 11am-6pm 2 - Golden Easter Egg Hunts - 1pm and 3pm. To participate in the Golden Egg Hunt, you must be a guest of the Highland Manor's Easter Brunch. Adults $30.00, Children 4-12 are $15.00, and children under 4 are free. There are 2 Golden Easter Egg Hunts 1pm and 3pm. Prizes will be awarded by age group. 3 - age groups: Under 4, 5-8, 9 and up. The Easter Bunny will be at Brunch from 11am-4pm Families are welcome to bring their cameras to take photos. Highland Manor is an 11 acres Estate with a Victorian Manor where the restaurant serves award winning culinary delights. The wonderful green lawns and old Oak trees make a great place for the traditional egg hunt. (Suggested by a visitor,

Palm Beach County

• Bedner's Farm Fresh Market - Minimizes chemical and pesticide use, Easter egg hunts for all ages (includes adults), FREE admission, Bring a basket to collect the eggs!, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, face painting, birthday parties, school tours
  12033 State Road #7, Boynton Beach, FL 33473. Phone: 561-499-3994 . Directions: 12033 State Road #7, Boynton Beach, FL. South of Boynton Beach Blvd, North of Atlantic Avenue on the west side of SR 7 (Hwy 441). Click here for a map and directions. We minimize use of pesticides and other chemicals. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa/MasterCard, Discover, AmEx. Click here for our Facebook page. Fresh From Farm To Fork. (UPDATED: September 03, 2010)
• Boomer's Easter Egg Hunt - Easter egg hunts for toddlers, Easter egg hunts for children, The Easter bunny will make an appearance, Visits and photos with the Easter Rabbit, Held indoors in bad weather, FREE admission, Other activities for children, Bring a basket to collect the eggs!, concessions / refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, events at your location (call for info)
  3100 Airport Rd, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Phone: 561-347-1888 . Email: ptorres@palaceentertainment.com. Open: Sunday, April 24th 10:30am - 12:30pm. Open: Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Directions: Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa/MasterCard, AmEx. Click here for our Facebook page. 
• Petting Zoos, Pony Rides & Hayrides - Tents or other provisions are made for bad weather, There is an admission fee, Children's crafts, Other activities for children, Farm animals are present, snacks and refreshment stand, face painting, Bouncy castle or moon bounce, pony rides, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties
  15917 133rd Terrace N, Jupiter, FL 33478. Phone: 561-951-2857 . Fax: 561-747-7854. Email: minidreamparty@yahoo.com. Event updates:Click here for updates. Directions: Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Visa/MasterCard, AmEx. 
• South Florida Produce - free Easter egg hunt on Saturday April ??? CALL for the 2011 date - We have no update from them!
  9865 Boynton Beach Boulevard, Boynton Beach, FL 33437. Phone: 561-201-3220 . Email: jly1981@aol.com. Directions: From Florida Turnpike Boynton Beach Exit go west approx. 1.5 miles. The farm is located on the SE corner of Boynton Beach Blvd. and SR7/441. The entrance is on Boynton Beach Blvd. Very easy parking to get in and out of. We will also offer 2 bounce houses, face-painting, and popcorn. . 

Santa Rosa County

• Flamingo Road Church - No confirmation yet for 2011
  Memorial Park, Pensacola, FL. Easter egg drop from a helicopter. Thousands of eggs were strewn across the ground. You can watch Pastor Raul Palacios tell the story in his own words in the video portion of this page.

Seminole County

• Easter Egg Hunt and Breakfast with the Easter Bunny. - rides, Easter bunny photos, bounce houses Egg hunt, Breakfast with the Easter Bunny
  995 N State Rd 433 , Altamonte Springs , FL 32714. Phone: 407-657-2000 . Email: info@birthdayworldorlando.com. Open: Saturday April 9th 9:00 am: Egg Hunt 9:20: Breakfast With The Bunny 10-11am: Crafts & Pictures with the Easter Bunny 10:20am-7pm: Unlimited Rides and Bounces All Day Long!! Check website for prices. Must RSVP by April 1st. . 9:00 am: Egg Hunt 9:20: Breakfast With The Bunny 10-11am: Crafts & Pictures with the Easter Bunny 10:20am-7pm: Unlimited Rides and Bounces All Day Long!! Check website for prices. Must RSVP by April 1st. Kids 2 and under $8 Kids 3 and up $10 Adult breakfast $3 (Suggested by a visitor, 
• Magic 107.7 Easter Egg Hunt - Saturday, April 23, 2011 from 9:30am to 12:30pm
  Reiter Park, Longwood, FL (301 W. Warren Ave, ), Longwood, FL , FL 32750. Phone: 407-324-0203 . Email: lstayer@magicegghunt.com. Open: Location: Reiter Park, Longwood, FL (301 W. Warren Ave, Longwood, FL 32750) Date: Saturday, April 23, 2011 Times: 9:30am - 12:30pm Parking: City of Longwood will assist with parking. . Hunt Times Crawler (Toddler) Continuous, simply bring your child to the designated area. 2 year old hunt 9:45am 3 year old hunt 10:00am 4 year old hunt 10:15am Kindergarten hunt 10:30am 1st Grade Hunt 10:45am 2nd Grade Hunt 11:00am 3rd Grade Hunt 11:15am 4th-5th Grade Hunt 11:30am (Suggested by a visitor,
  A visitor writes on April 05, 2011: "I went to this event for the first time last year and loved it! It had a lot of activities for the kids to include a train, bounce house, games, and the Easter bunny!"

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Miscellaneous

Hillsborough County

• Free Baby Chicks 30 and 4 hens total for a good cause - Farm animals are present,
  Apollo Beach , FL 33572. Phone: 813-470-0047 . Directions: Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. Please bring a carrier for your free baby chick and hen.