OAK PARK, Calif. — It’s the first fully-vaccinated Easter weekend for many people.
At this time last year, people were hunting for their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, which was in high demand.
Now, 75.1% of Californians ages 5 and older are fully vaccinated as of April 15, which means holiday gatherings are back in full force.
At Oak Park’s Fourth Avenue Park Saturday, hundreds of people gathered for an Easter celebration and egg hunt.
Many of them told ABC10 the event was particularly meaningful after two long years of the pandemic, which Sacramento grandmother Debra Arbet called depressing and sobering.
“I just had to come out and see the kids and bring my granddaughter,” Arbet said. “This event means that you know, the kids can enjoy each other again and come out of that soberness that they’ve been in for so long.”
Penelope Amadali lives in Oak Park and also attended Saturday’s event at Fourth Avenue Park.
“I substitute teach, so I’ve been interacting the whole time, and I have observed the effects on the students,” Amadali said. “It’s a very good demonstration that we need each other.”
Ten-year-old Anmol Sidhu said he was sad during the pandemic that he couldn’t play with his friends.
“It feels really good that we can spend time together again,” he said at the event.
Stephanie Thompson, the co-chair of the Community Wellness Forum, is an organizer of this Easter in the Park event.
“Our whole goal is to really bring back family and bring back a little peace. We haven’t had that in a long time,” Thompson said. “This is our 11th year of doing it, and, you know, COVID didn’t stop us. We are still in the pandemic, we realize that, but it’s a little bit more freer right now.”
Health experts, like White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha, agree that it comes down to common sense.
"We know how to gather together safely now. If you're going to see somebody high risk, get a test before you do that,” Dr. Jha said.
On this Easter weekend, whether or not somebody considers themselves a person of faith, there’s something special in the air — a resurrection of hope and community.
“Does it feel normal? Actually, yes,” Thompson said, adding that the event organizers have masks and hand sanitizer available for event attendees and put a lot of thought and discussion into the organization of this year’s event.
There are many other Easter events happening this weekend, including a sunrise church service held at 6:30 a.m. Sunday morning at McKinley Park’s rose garden in East Sacramento. It is being organized by The Table at Central United Methodist Church.
A list of other events can be found HERE.
