Easter egg hunts will keep local residents hopping the next two weekends.
There are four events set for this Saturday.
Easter Eggstravaganza is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Starve Hollow State Recreation Area, 4345 S. County Road 275W, Vallonia.
An Easter egg hunt for ages 12 and under with candy, fun and prizes will kick off activities at 10 a.m. Areas will be marked for three age categories.
Also, an egg and spoon race will be at noon, an Egg-ucational Scavenger Hunt will be available for the duration of the event and don’t forget to bring your camera to get pictures taken with the Easter bunny.
The park entrance fee is $7 for Indiana residents and $9 for nonresidents.
“We are so eggcited for this event and would be hoppy to have you join us,” the park stated.
Another event Saturday is the Tom Judd Memorial Eggstra Special Easter Egg Hunt for children and adults with special needs at the playground at Emerson Elementary School, 500 Emerson Drive, Seymour.
Held in memory of the founder of the event, Special Olympics Indiana Jackson County is again partnering with the Judd family to carry on this tradition.
An Easter egg hunt for ages 0 to 18 will be at 10 a.m., followed by a hunt for adults at 10:30 a.m. Bring your own basket.
Special items will be given to all participants, and there will be a drawing for various prizes. Plus, be sure to bring your camera to get pictures with the Easter bunny, Flash the miniature therapy horse and other special guests.
Also at 10 a.m., a free community Easter egg hunt for ages 0 to 12 will be at Trinity United Methodist Church, 333 S. Chestnut St., Seymour.
“Bring your children, grandchildren, neighbors or any other children that you know,” said Taylor Barkes, the church’s director of children and family ministries. “We are so excited to have this opportunity available to everyone in our community. We hope to see you there.”
From 1 to 2 p.m., the Easter Bunny Trail will take place at Hoosier Christian Village, 621 S. Sugar St., Brownstown, consisting of lots of candy and fun.
Then Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m., Trinity UMC is hosting Rise Up with Jesus, an interactive program in which kids and grownups alike will experience loads of memorable Easter fun and excitement all while they discover the true events surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection.
“Families will explore the wonderful ‘puzzle’ of Easter at each station through challenging games, unique experiences and fun gizmos designed to remind families that Jesus is alive,” Barkes said.
Other events are set for April 16, which is the day before Easter.
Freetown Church of Christ is having doughnuts with the Easter bunny at 9:30 a.m., followed by an Easter egg hunt for infants through fifth grade at 10 a.m. at the church, 7077 N. State Road 135, Freetown. Both are free and open to anyone who would like to attend.
The annual Easter egg hunt at Gaiser Park on the south side of Seymour will begin at 10 a.m. that day. It’s presented by 92.7 Nash Icon/1390 AM and 99.3 FM The Buzz, Rose Acre Farms, Seymour Noon Lions Club and Seymour Parks and Recreation Department.
Arrive at 9:30 a.m. for photos with the Easter bunny courtesy of Walgreens, and there will be grand prizes for each age group category in the egg hunt courtesy of Walmart. The hunt is for ages 0 to 12, and kids should bring their own basket.
Prizes also have been provided by Taco Bell, McDonald’s, Subway, Snappy Tomato Pizza, Freddy’s, Papa John’s, Cracker Barrel and Dairy Queen.
Additional event sponsors are Hampton Towing and Auto Repair, Dr. Tammy Hiester Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, Seymour Orthodontics, Greemann’s Furniture and Mattress Gallery, Hill’s Fish Stand and Seymour Pediatrics.
A communitywide Easter egg hunt starts at 10 a.m. at First Baptist Church, 505 Community Drive, Seymour. Start in the church with some fun music and the Easter story. From there, children (toddlers through fifth grade) will be dismissed by age groups and go outside to find candy-filled eggs. Kids should bring their own basket or bag.
At 11 a.m., head to the museum shelter house at the Jackson-Washington State Forest, 1278 E. State Road 250, Brownstown, for an Easter egg hunt sponsored by Community Church Brownstown.
There will be two cash prizes hidden in golden eggs for each age group: 0 to 3, 4 to 6, 7 to 9 and 10 to 12. Easter baskets will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. A free lunch of hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and drinks will be available, too.
“Our church is really starting anew with remodeling and working hard to commit to a great outreach program,” church secretary Karen Branaman said.
At 2 p.m., for the second year in a row, Freedom Fireworks is sponsoring an Easter egg hunt on the lawn of the Jackson County Courthouse, 111 S. Main St., Brownstown.
There will be 16,000 eggs and more than 100 prizes, including bicycles. Age groups will be 0 to 3, 4 to 6, 7 to 9 and 10 to 12.
Arrive as early as 10 a.m. to sign up for drawings for kids and adults. The Easter bunny will be there for photo opportunities, too.
Organizer Chris Wiese said with the great turnout in 2021, they decided to bump up the number of eggs this year.
“It seemed like half the kids in Jackson County showed up. We were not expecting the turnout that we had,” he said. “Last year, we did 10,000 (eggs). This year, we are doing 16,000 and adding more adult prizes.”
Also at 2 p.m., an Easter egg hunt will be conducted at Surprise Christian Church, 6382 N. County Road 100W, Surprise. It’s open to the public.
At 3 p.m., the Family Color Run and Easter Egg Scramble will take place at Brownstown Church of the Nazarene, 616 W. Commerce St., Brownstown.
Kids and parents of all ages are invited to collect Easter eggs while they run or walk a half-mile course. There will be 2,500 eggs to find. Wear a white shirt and prepare to be splattered with a rainbow of color.
The free event also will feature giveaways, face painting, cotton candy, games and more. Hot dogs, chips and drinks will be served.
Finally, at 4 p.m., an Easter egg hunt for children up to fifth grade will be at Brownstown First Baptist Church, 1095 S. State Road 135, Brownstown.
The church invites people to celebrate the resurrection of Christ with their family and community.