Mayor’s Spring Egg Roll event seeks to become annual tradition

Owen Chiou bends down in his lane, readying his wooden spoon against an egg in preparation for the fierce competition of the egg roll.

With a three, two, one countdown, the 7-year-old, his sister and friend whack the eggs, sending the brightly colored objects flying across the grass.

While he enjoyed the egg roll, Owen’s favorite event was the bunny-themed sack races. He handily won the competition against several other children.

“It was easy,” he said. “And actually really fun.”

More than 600 people hopped to the Newport Beach Civic Center on Saturday morning for the first Mayor’s Spring Egg Roll.

The Easter Egg Roll, which has been a seasonal tradition on the White House lawn since 1878, provided Mayor Ed Selich with the inspiration for Saturday’s event.

The idea came to Selich during the dedication of the Civic Center in 2013, he said.

Selich was standing near the library at the far end of the Civic Center during the dedication when he noticed how far the grass spanned in front of the municipal buildings.

“I thought it would be the perfect place for an egg roll event like the one they host at the White House,” he said. “Events like this one build community spirit.”

Selich brought his 8-month old grandson Ben and 6-year-old granddaughter Ava to participate in the festivities. Like the egg roll in Washington D.C., he hopes the event will become a tradition in Newport Beach.

“This is the reason we built the Civic Center the way we did,” he said. “We didn’t just want it to be buildings.”

In addition to the egg roll, families watched magic shows, played in bounce houses, had their faces, arms and legs painted with animals and other designs, and posed for photos with one of the bunnies that sits perched on top of a hill at Civic Center Park.

A small train provided enjoyment for several children, including 2-year-old Noah Till, who immediately after his photo with the bunny decided that he needed a ride on the train dubbed The Jolly Express.

“He can’t stop pointing at it,” his mother Nicole Till said. “He loves it.”