As usual, hundreds of children turned out for various egg hunts in Marysville and Arlington over Easter weekend.
The two cities put on their annual events Saturday.
But more children are finding their way to egg hunts at churches in the two communities that took place Saturday and on Easter, too. One that has taken place for a few years now is at the Nazarene Church on 83rd Avenue NE in Marysville. Participants there Saturday got to pick up 12 eggs filled with candy.
But visitors also could choose from a number of activities, all of which were free.
High in popularity were the five inflatables. There was a huge pirate ship with a slide, along with one tall slide. Also on hand were a bouncy house for young kids and an obstacle challenge. A long line kept forming at the Wipe Out Inflatable, where kids tried to avoid a rotating battering ram.
Many youngsters took part in the petting zoo, where there were bunnies, goats, a calf and a pony. The braver kids went on horse rides, some with their parents as it was a long way to the ground.
Even though it was sunny many families chose to stay inside and watch a magic show.
For those who got hungry there was water and free popcorn. Hot dogs were just $1.
Lots of face painters kept the lines short for that feature.
Children’s pastor Ashley Forsberg of Generations Community Church welcomed visitors with a flyer of other church offerings.
Meanwhile, in Arlington, in the huge field east of the Stillaguamish Athletic Center, the mad dash for eggs was over in minutes. Participants enjoyed hot chocolate and cookies, and, along with candy, some eggs had prizes for gift cards or art supplies.
But if you wanted to have your picture taken with the Easter Bunny, you needed to have the patience of Job because the line was long.
And at Jennings Park in Marysville, the well-organized event went off smoothly. Participants up to age 8 could come any time between 10-11 a.m. and get eight eggs. All 12,000 eggs were filled with candy, but a few had tickets for a grand prize. Children also could stick around and play games such as hopping in hula hoops or get a free plant or book.
