After a long, cold winter, humanity seeks for signs of the hope and renewal that spring brings. Maybe it's sighting a crocus or daffodil sprouting green from brown earth, a plump robin or a southerly breeze. In Kansas City, one of the most reliable and spirit-lifting signs comes with a trip to the iconic Country Club Plaza to see that the Easter bunnies have returned from wherever Easter bunnies go after their brief season's work is done. This year the colorful, larger-than-life bunnies will make their appearance on March 2, and remain a visible presence until April 2, the day after Easter. There are nine bunnies in all – and all have names – Brian, Sue, Amy, Bess, Ellyn, Kate, Lee, Nicholas and (of course) Peter. Children in particular delight in seeing and playing on the Easter bunnies and other sculpted springtime animals that make an Easter wonderland of the Plaza's courtyards, sidewalks and street corners. Emily Quinn, a Kansas City native now living in Chicago, fondly remembers seeking the Easter bunnies as treasures to be found hidden among the Plaza courtyards. “They were awesome as a little kid,” says Quinn. “They were like magical Disney characters.” Kansas Citians aren't alone in their joy upon seeing the bunnies return each year to their springtime posts. Many regional visitors reserve Raphael hotel packages with expectation of seeing them. Traditions form around the bunnies. Thousands of locals flock to the Plaza on Easter Sunday to celebrate their holiday with brunch at notable restaurants like Chaz on the Plaza. Chaz serves a unique Easter Jazz Brunch, this year featuring a prime rib special. Most hotel guests and Chaz patrons take an Easter morning or afternoon family stroll among the bunnies along with a selfie photo. The bunnies along with a memorable dining experience make for an event that becomes a tradition, passing from generation to generation. Raphael historian Pamela McClain has a long history with the bunnies. She recalls guests through the years commenting on how cute they were and agrees with them. “I have lots of my own memories,' says McClain. “Taking my children and then my grandchildren to sit on the statues.' The bunnies' story began in 1922 at the Crestwood Shoppes south of the Plaza, which was also owned by the J.C. Nichols Company, developer of the Plaza. The creator of the bunnies and the people for whom they are named remains a mystery lost to history. What we do know is that the bunnies appeared for the first time on the Plaza in 1931 – in the midst of the Great Depression – one year after the first Christmas lighting ceremony and one year before the inauguration of the Plaza Art Fair. The bunnies gave a lift to the collective spirit and have ever since, through good times and bad. Their return is as reliable and symbolic as any of the rites of spring