It’s been five years since a petting zoo sprang up at the Sag Harbor Garden Center for Easter weekend, but Linnette Roe, who is kicking off her second season as the center’s owner, thought it was time to bring it back.
“I just thought it was a really fun way to start the spring, and knowing that Phil and Diane created this tradition over the years,” she said of Phil and Diane Bucking, the previous owners, “I wanted to bring it back. Also, I’m an animal lover.”
The Green School in Sagaponack will be providing chickens, ducks, bunnies, baby goats, and a potbellied pig. They’ll romp around from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday at the garden center, which is at 11 Spring Street.
“It’s not a party without a pig,” said Ms. Roe.
For some, it’s also not a party without the beer. Now, you may not usually pair a petting zoo with beer, but when the beer is called Hare Moon and the petting zoo shares a plot of land with a brewery, they sort of mix.
“It’s an odd thing,” Ms. Roe said. But is it? There is a full moon this week, which means Kidd Squid is releasing its monthly moon beer, and Saturday marks the end of Lent. Perhaps for parents who have staved off alcohol for the last 40 days, watching their kids pet baby goats while sipping the fresh brew might be just what they need before they go home to color eggs for hours.
The Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce is co-sponsoring the petting zoo. There is no admission to pet the animals, but a donation bucket will help defer expenses so it can come back next year.
“A lot of people who’ve lived here a long time wanted to see the petting zoo come back. All the flowers are in bloom, the daffodils and hyacinths. The weather looks good. I wanted to launch this gardening season by doing something nice for the community,” Ms. Roe said.
