Spring Fling Gets Hopping at Zoo

For Stephanie Miller, visiting the Los Angeles Zoo’s annual Big Bunny Spring Fling on Friday was her kickoff to the season.

“This is the beginning of my holiday weekend,” said Miller of Mar Vista, watching her 2-year-old niece, Sierra, clamber over a hay bale.

“We’ll have a family dinner and an Easter egg hunt later on.”

Event organizers hoped to get visitors ready for the season of renewal by transforming the Zoo Meadow into a tiny village populated by dwarf rabbits, storytellers, face-painters, singers, musicians and kids with paper rabbit ears.

“My kids like to see the gorillas and elephants, and especially the Easter bunny,” said Robert Delgado of Gardena, struggling to get the paper ears to stay on son Jesus’ head.

Guitarist and singer Dan Crow and musical group RePercussion--a four-member ensemble that uses recyclables as musical instruments--performed children’s songs on center stage.

The three-day festival, which ends Sunday, is expected to draw 34,000 visitors from throughout Southern California, said David Cooley, a zoo spokesman.

Shawna Doughman of Ventura was among the out-of-towners who took in the festival Friday.

“My kids are way into bunnies right now,” Doughman said, cradling 1-month-old son, Bryce, and standing near 2-year-old twins, Jake and Isabelle, in their double stroller.

“I want them to learn about that part of Easter.”

The Big Bunny Spring Fling runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Sunday.

Admission is $8.25 for adults and $3.25 for children 2 to 12; free for children younger than 2.

For information, call (323) 644-6400 or visit the zoo’s Web site at https://www.lazoo.org.