This weekend is the time when purple, green and pink eggs begin mysteriously popping up in fields, without a single purple, green or pink chicken in sight.

But there will be plenty of children scurrying around to hunt down the eggs.

Beginning today, the North Olympic Peninsula offers several Easter egg hunts and other events for area youth:

Port Angeles:

* Crestwood Convalescent Center, 1116 E. Lauridsen Blvd., Friday, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Party and Easter egg hunt for children 12 and younger.

Children age 3 and younger will start at 3:15 p.m.; 3 to 5 will start at 3:30 p.m.; and 5 through 12 will start at 3:45 p.m.

* First Presbyterian Church will have an Easter egg hunt for elementary school children Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the church, 139 W. Eighth St.

Each child should bring a dozen colored eggs.

* KONP-KIKN Easter egg hunt at Shane Park, 613 S. A Street, Saturday at 9 a.m. The event is for children 12 and younger.

Registration starts at 8:30 a.m.

Registration forms are available at Olympic Stationers, Wal-Mart, Jim’s Pharmacy, Frugal’s and about a dozen other businesses.

The forms should be filled out and brought to the event.

* Easter at the Fountain. Live chicks and bunnies for petting, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., downtown Port Angeles fountain, First and Laurel streets. There will be free Easter candy from the Easter Bunny, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., throughout downtown.

New this year, employees and owners of some downtown businesses have made Easter bonnets and will be wearing them Friday and Saturday. To see if the workers in your favorite store or restaurant are creative, stop by during business hours.

Sequim:

* Sequim Elks Lodge, 143 Point Williams Road, Easter egg hunt Saturday at 1 p.m. for children up to 10 years old.

* Carrie Blake Park, 202 N. Blake Road, Easter egg hunt Saturday at 10 a.m. for children up to 10 years old.

This is the fourth annual Easter egg hunt sponsored by Pettit Oil. Stuffed bunnies and other toys will be given to children. Toddlers must be accompanied by parents.

Forks:

* Easter Egg hunt Sunday 1 p.m. at Tillicum Park ballfield for children 12 and younger.

Separate areas for kids 3 and younger; 4 to 8; 9 to 12; sponsored by Sully’s Drive In, 220 U.S. Highway 101 N.; Forks Thriftway, West End Radio KVAC and KLlM, Coca Cola Bottling Co.

* A buffet breakfast will be available at the Elks Lodge, 941 Merchant Road, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sunday.

Pancakes, French toast, biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, ham, sausages and hash-brown potatoes will be served in the fund-raising breakfast.

Profits will go to Sunshine & Rainbows Child Development Center. The money will be used to buy playground equipment and toys.

Breakfast is $5 for adults and children 12 and older. For children 6 to 11 years old and senior citizens, it will be $3.50. Children 5 and under are free.

Port Townsend:

* Port Townsend Elks Lodge 75th annual Easter egg hunt. Two hundred children are expected for the Community Easter egg hunt sponsored by the Port Townsend Elks Lodge 317. Children will hunt for 30 dozen eggs Sunday, at Chetzemoka Park. Start time is 7 a.m., with three categories: toddlers, ages 2-5 and ages 6-12. Coffee will be served for adults. Special prizes will be awarded for the select gold and silver eggs, plus numerous other prizes.

Local Boy Scouts will do formal flag-raising before hunt.

Quilcene:

* Second annual Community Easter Egg Hunt for children ages 1-12 is sponsored by the Quilcene Lions Club at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 14 at the Quilcene Community Center and park. Special prizes and candy will be awarded.

Brinnon:

* Community Easter Egg Hunt is 1 p.m. Sunday, April 14, at Dosewallips State Park, sponsored by Brinnon Booster Club.