Photo Provided The Easter Bunny prepares to take his seat at the Ohio Valley Mall last year. He returns to the mall this Saturday, during an event filled with seasonal festivities.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Local families are invited to hop on over to the Ohio Valley Mall on Saturday to welcome the Easter Bunny as he arrives for the season.

The fun gets underway at 10:30 a.m. when Magician Michael Strough takes the stage at the Boscov’s Court to entertain “egg-cited” audience members as they wait for the bunny to arrive and greet his favorite “Peeps.”

The bunny will join Strough on stage before heading to his seat, where children can meet him and have photos taken. A second magic show will begin at 11:30 a.m.

Candi Noble-Greathouse, marketing director for the mall, said there will be lots of other fun activities for children to enjoy as well.

“I always enjoy having this event, and there’s lots to do,” she said.

Noble-Greathouse said the Salvation Army, based in Bellaire, will have representatives on hand. They will lead games and events from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Another agency that will be present is the JB Green Team, which is the Jefferson-Belmont Solid Waste Authority. It will provide a variety of activities for children as well.

Noble-Greathouse said kids can also participate in a scavenger hunt and pick an item from the mall’s treasure chest.

“We’re just having some fun things, face painting and balloon art,” she noted.

But the holiday fun won’t end on Saturday.

“The Easter Bunny will be here the rest of season, three more weeks,” Noble Greathouse said. ” We will have cookies and story time and crafts scheduled with Chik fil A and its mascot cow from 5:30-6:30 p.m. March 31 inside the mall. “We will have pet photos with the bunny from 5-7 p.m. on (March) 27th and on April 3 from 6-8 p.m.”