Egg-citing April Adventures Await!
Four Easter egg hunts THIS weekend, a free Dragon painting class Tuesday, open play all week, and a Spring Market with a $5 kids egg hunt — this week is full.
Egg-citing April Adventures Await!
Issue #4 — Week of March 30, 2026
Spring break is here and the calendar is stacked. There's something every single day this week — free painting classes, open play, four Easter egg hunts on Saturday alone, and a kids market egg hunt to wrap it up. Here's everything worth knowing.
🎉 This Week (March 30 – April 5)
Parent-Child Dragon Painting Class — St. Michael Library
Date: Tuesday, March 31 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Location: St. Michael Public Library, 11800 Town Center Dr NE, St. Michael, MN 55376 Cost: Free (registration required — limit 12 families)
This one is a gem. The Rum River Art Center is teaching a free parent-child oil pastel class inspired by How to Train Your Dragon — kids age 5+ and their caregiver will create a moonlit dragon scene using oil pastel, ink, and white acrylic paint. It's made possible through a Central MN Arts Board grant and spots are very limited, so register now through the Great River Regional Library.
Register → Great River Regional Library
Champlin Annual Easter Egg Hunt
Date: Friday, April 3 | Tiny Tot Hunt: 11:00 AM | Main Hunt (ages 5+): 11:45 AM Location: Andrews Park, Champlin, MN Cost: Free
Champlin teams up with Riverway Church for their beloved annual Easter Egg Hunt at Andrews Park. Tiny tots (ages 4 and under) go first at 11 AM, then the big kids take the field at 11:45. Bring a basket, dress for the weather, and leave early — this one draws a crowd.
Big Lake Spud Fest Easter Egg Hunt
Date: Saturday, April 4 | 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Location: Lakeside Park, Big Lake, MN Cost: Free
Kids are sorted by age group (0–11) so everyone gets a fair shot at the candy. Just bring a bag or basket and show up — rain or shine, this one happens. A sweet Big Lake tradition families look forward to every year.
More info → Big Lake Spud Fest
Elk River Harley-Davidson Easter Egg Hunt
Date: Saturday, April 4 | 11:00 AM Location: Elk River Harley-Davidson, Elk River, MN Cost: Free
A free Easter egg hunt at the Harley dealership — yes, really. Kids and adults both play, collecting up to 4 eggs each. No tickets, no registration. It's quirky, it's fun, and kids absolutely love it.
More info → Elk River Harley-Davidson
Anoka Roseth Realty Easter Egg Extravaganza
Date: Saturday, April 4 | 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM Location: Sunny Acres Park, 3399 Colfax Ave, Anoka, MN 55303 Cost: Free
Twenty thousand candy-filled eggs. Bounce houses. Pizza. Free beverages. Easter Bunny photos. This is one of the most over-the-top free Easter events in the whole metro — and it's right here in Anoka. No registration required, just show up.
Buffalo Spring Market Kids Egg Hunt
Date: Saturday, April 4 | Egg Hunt at 12:30 PM Location: Buffalo, MN (Spring Market venue) Cost: $5/child (ages 2–12), adults free
Buffalo's Spring Market brings back their popular kids egg hunt for 2026. Age-specific zones mean every kid gets a fair shot, and the market itself has food trucks, coffee, and vendors to explore before or after. At $5 per child it's one of the more affordable paid egg hunts around, and it's in a genuinely fun setting.
More info → Buffalo Holiday Market
Home Depot Kids Workshop — Free Build
Date: Saturday, April 5 | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (while supplies last) Location: Home Depot locations in Rogers and Maple Grove Cost: Free
The first Saturday of every month, Home Depot hosts a free hands-on building workshop for kids. April's theme varies by store — kids build a project, get a free apron, patch, and certificate. No registration required at most locations, though some stores ask you to sign up online. Great low-key Saturday morning activity if the egg hunts feel like too much.
Register → Home Depot Kids Workshops
📅 Next Week (April 6 – 12)
US Air Force Concert Band — Free Concert in St. Michael
Date: Thursday, April 9 | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Location: STMA High School Performing Arts Center, St. Michael, MN Cost: Free (tickets required — register in advance)
The United States Air Force Concert Band and Singing Sergeants are making a stop in St. Michael as part of their national spring tour — completely free. World-class live music right here in the northwest suburbs. Tickets go fast so grab them now.
Get tickets → USAF Band National Tour
Maple Grove Spring Indoor Farmers Market
Date: Thursday, April 9 | 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM Location: Maple Grove Community Center, 12951 Weaver Lake Road, Maple Grove, MN 55369 Cost: Free to attend
One of the last two indoor markets before the outdoor season kicks off in May. Local farmers, bakers, and artisans fill the Community Center with fresh produce, specialty foods, and handmade items.
More info → Maple Grove Farmers Market
Buffalo Discovery Center Spring Fling Dinner & Dance
Date: Tuesday, April 21 | 4:30 PM – 8:00 PM Location: Buffalo Discovery Center Gym, 301 2nd Ave, Buffalo, MN Cost: Free and open to the public
BHM Community Education is throwing a free Spring Fling Dinner & Dance for the whole community. No registration, no cost — just dinner and dancing for families in Buffalo.
More info → BHM Community Education
🐣 Mark Your Calendar (April 13 and Beyond)
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Buffalo Discovery Center Spring Fling Dinner & Dance — Tuesday, April 21, 4:30–8 PM | Buffalo Discovery Center Gym, 301 2nd Ave, Buffalo, MN | Free | Dinner and dancing for the whole family. No registration, no cost. More info → BHM Community Education
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Oliver Kelley Farm Free Admission Day — Saturday, April 25, 9 AM–3 PM | 15788 Kelley Farm Rd, Elk River, MN | Free (normally $12/adult) | A rare free day at this living history farm — farm animals, 19th-century chores, real history. Only four free days a year. More info → Oliver Kelley Farm
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Champlin Spring Craft Market — Saturday, April 25, 10 AM–4 PM | Mississippi Crossings Event Center, Champlin, MN | Free | Handcrafted goods from local vendors at a beautiful riverfront setting. More info → City of Champlin
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Maple Grove Vintage Market — Saturday, April 25, 10 AM–3 PM | Maple Grove Community Center, 12951 Weaver Lake Rd, Maple Grove, MN | Free | Brand-new for 2026 — curated vintage vendors, food trucks, and live music. More info → Maple Grove Parks & Recreation
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Maple Grove Arbor Day Celebration — Saturday, April 25, 12–3 PM | Maple Grove Community Center, Maple Grove, MN | Free | Live animal shows, DNR booths, tree crafts, and free seedlings to take home. More info → Maple Grove Community Events
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Monticello Farmers Market Spring Preview — Saturday, April 25, 9 AM–12 PM | Monticello Community Center, 505 Walnut St, Monticello, MN | Free | Get your farmers market fix early — outdoor season opens May 14. More info → City of Monticello
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Maple Grove Egg & Monkey Hunt — Monday, April 27, 2–3 PM | Weaver Lake Park, 8401 Maple Grove Pkwy, Maple Grove, MN | Free (registration required) | Kids ages 3–12 hunt for Easter eggs AND toy monkeys. Activity code 201202-01. More info → Maple Grove Community Events
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Anoka County Springtime & Sunshine Festival — Friday–Sunday, May 8–10 | Anoka County Fairgrounds, 3200 St. Francis Blvd NW, Anoka, MN | Free admission | 100+ craft vendors, live music, carnival rides, pony rides, food trucks. Start planning now. More info → Anoka County Fair
💎 Hidden Gem of the Week
Avant Garden — Anoka, MN
If you haven't discovered Avant Garden in downtown Anoka yet, fix that this week. This beloved local coffee house has been a community anchor for years — the kind of place where regulars know each other by name, the Wi-Fi is fast, the drinks are excellent, and the atmosphere feels genuinely lived-in rather than corporate. It's a perfect spot to bring the family on a slow Saturday morning before hitting one of the nearby river parks, and it's exactly the kind of small business that makes Anoka feel like a real community rather than just another suburb. Grab a coffee, stay a while.
🌿 Wild Ideas
Not every great family moment needs a scheduled event. Here are a few free or nearly-free ideas this week that are a little outside the box:
- Go on a puddle walk. April puddles are basically nature's splash pads. Put on the boots, find a neighborhood path, and let the kids go nuts. Zero dollars, maximum joy.
- Host your own backyard egg hunt. Grab a bag of plastic eggs from the dollar store, hide them before the kids wake up, and make your own Saturday morning tradition — no crowd, no parking, all fun.
- Visit Otsego's Prairie Park playground. The splash pad isn't on yet, but the playground is excellent and completely free. Bring a frisbee and stay awhile.
- Take a drive along the Mississippi through Dayton or Champlin. Roll down the windows, stop at a river access point, and throw rocks. Free, beautiful, and kids never get tired of it.
- Start a nature journal together. Go outside with a blank notebook and sketch the first signs of spring — budding trees, returning birds, mud. Simple, slow, and genuinely special.
👋 That's a Wrap!
Thanks for reading the Northwest Suburbs Family Guide! If this was useful, forward it to one friend or neighbor who could use a heads-up on what's happening around here. The more families who know, the better our community events get.
Have an event tip or Hidden Gem idea? We'd love to hear it. Find us at northwestsuburbsfamilyguide.com and say hello.
See you next Monday! 🌸