THIS weekend sees an implosion of Easter fun across Weymouth, Portland and Dorchester.

A special ceremony on Saturday will see a bronze dray horse statue arrive in style at Brewery Square in Dorchester.

The life-and-a-quarter size statue will take pride of place in Dray Horse Yard.

The statue, created by equestrian artist Shirley Pace, will represent the dray horse leaving the old brewery for the last time as the new development takes shape behind it.

A jazz band will greet the horse’s arrival at 12.15pm.

The statue will be transported on a 1920s horse drawn dray down South Street in the town centre and along Weymouth Avenue to Dray Horse Yard.

The jazz band will continue performing during the installation and for much of the day.

The installation is just part of a busy weekend programme for Brewery Square, with families invited to come and take on an Easter egg hunt at the site from today until Sunday with prizes up for grabs.

More details on the Easter egg hunt are available online at brewerysquare. com or from the site’s concierge opposite Dorchester South train station.

  • A giant Easter egg hunt is at Abbotsbury Sub- Tropical Gardens from today until Easter Monday.

The fun also includes a bouncy castle, a face painting tent and a chance to meet birds of prey in their display tent.

  • Saturday also sees an Easter egg hunt at the Buttermarket in Poundbury between 11am and 2.30pm.

Children can come along and meet the Easter bunny. The free event also includes a raffle and tombola.

  • Over on Portland, Easton Methodist Church is inviting the community to celebrate Easter together on Easter Sunday with a community picnic in Easton Gardens from noon to 3pm. There will be treasure hunts for adults and children and a bouncy castle.
     
  • For those keen for more Easter eggs on Easter Monday, there is an Easter egg hunt, a bouncy castle and face painting at the Walled Garden in Moreton.

It starts at 11am and continues until 7pm and costs £3 a child and is free for adults.

People are invited to bring a picnic to enjoy in the gardens and there will be a barbecue and a licensed bar.