Free Easter egg hunts will be held in Arnold this month leading up to Easter Sunday on April 20.
In addition, new Easter event with an admission fee will be held at the Arnold Recreation Center’s indoor pool this year.
The Rock Community Fire Protection District was scheduled to kick off the egg hunting season at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 5, at Rockport Heights Elementary School, 3871 Jeffco Blvd. However, the district announced today, April 4, that it was postponing the event to Saturday, April 12, due to anticipated inclement weather.
The Arnold Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Eggstravaganza starting at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 12, at Fox High School’s Gerald O’Connor Stadium, 751 Jeffco Blvd.
St. John’s Lutheran Church, 3517 Jeffco Blvd., will hold an Easter egg hunt and pancake breakfast from 8:30-10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 19. Those who plan to attend must register by Sunday, April 13, at sjlarnold.org, and the church is accepting donations to help pay for the event.
The Arnold Parks and Recreation Department will hold its first-ever underwater egg hunt from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, April 18, at the rec center, 1695 Missouri State Road. The deadline for registration is Wednesday, April 16, and admission costs $6 for rec center members and $8 for non-members.
To register for the underwater egg hunt, call 636-282-2380, ext. 1411.
Rock Fire
Rock Community Fire will put out a total of 10,000 eggs at the elementary school for children to hunt. Children will be divided into age groups for separate hunts, with the first one starting at 11:30 a.m., spokesperson Alyson Rotter said.
Children 3 and younger will seek eggs in the first hunt, followed by another hunt for children aged 4 to 6, and children aged 7 to 10 will participate in the final hunt.
Rotter said the majority of the eggs will contain candy or small toys, but one egg for each age group will contain a ticket for a bicycle.
“We want people to come on out and hunt for the eggs,” she said. “There also is a playground for the kids to play on. I think we did a nice job last year, and we will try to do the same thing this year.”
Rotter said more than 100 people attended last year’s event.
Like last year, the Easter bunny will be available for pictures. Those who want a picture with the Easter bunny will need to bring a camera, Rotter said.
Rotter said Carrollton Bank is providing support for the egg hunt.
“We think it is important to give back to the community because the community gives to us,” she said. “It is nice to come together as a community, especially after what we have been through with the storms. Hopefully, it will be a nice day for everybody.”
Eggstravaganza
The Arnold chamber’s annual Easter event will offer plenty of activities for children before the egg hunts start at noon, executive director Stephanie Engle said.
She said the Easter bunny will be available for pictures, at least 15 local organizations and groups are expected to set up vendor tables and Silly Jilly the Clown and Jay the Magician will provide entertainment.
The chamber will have more inflatable attractions at this year’s event after seeing the popularity of an inflatable obstacle course last year. Along with the obstacle course, an inflatable bounce house and slide will be set up, Engle said.
She said a total of 20,000 eggs will be spread out among the different hunting areas for the four age groups – 1-2 years old, 3-4, 5-6 and 7-10.
Along with candy, some eggs will contain tickets that may be turned in for toys, such as Lego sets, balls, sidewalk chalk, badminton sets and water guns. Two eggs in each age group will contain tickets that may be turned in for a bicycle.
“I’m excited for it,” Engle said. “I think we will have a huge a crowd. We are not doing it in March, so I think the weather will be a little nicer.”
Engle said the event’s main sponsors are Steve Reddy of Edwards Jones and the Raising Cane’s restaurant.
The chamber has scheduled a makeup date for 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 26, at the high school athletic stadium.
For more information about the Eggstravaganza, call Engle at 636-296-1910, email director@arnoldchamber.org or go to the chamber’s website, arnoldchamber.org, or its Facebook page.
St. John’s
St. John’s Lutheran Church is holding its egg hunt and pancake breakfast for a second year.
Breakfast will be served throughout the event, including pancakes from Chris Cakes, which not only serves up flapjacks but entertains by flipping them onto attendees’ plates.
The egg hunts will be staggered by age groups, with the hunt for children aged 1-2 starting at 9 a.m., children aged 3-4 starting at 9:15 a.m.; 5-6-year-olds starting at 9:30 a.m.; 7-8-year-olds at 9:45 a.m.; and 9-10-year-old children starting at 10 a.m.
Michaela Seeliger, director of children’s ministry, said the church will set out a total of 5,000 eggs filled with candy for the hunts. The event also will include a free raffle, an opportunity to take pictures in front of an Easter-themed backdrop and a craft table for children.
St. John’s spokeswoman Robyn Hogan said more than 600 people attended last year’s event, with more than 300 children participating in the egg hunts.
“I think we had great success with it last year, and we are hoping to have a lot of kids and their families at the event,” Seeliger said.
She said the church will move the event indoors if there is inclement weather.
Underwater egg hunt
Taylor Looney, Arnold parks and rec supervisor, said the underwater egg hunt will be limited to 100 people, and as of March 27, about 50 people had registered.
There is no age-limit to participate in the egg hunt, and each person will be limited to collecting 25 eggs.
Looney said the eggs will be spread throughout the indoor pool with some of them attached to floatation devices and others weighted to sink to the pool’s floor. Those who collect the eggs will turn them in after the hunt in exchange for candy and small toys.
“We can’t put candy-filled eggs in the water,” she said. “They will be able to select candy and toys, like stamps and erasers. It will be things that typically fit inside an Easter egg.”
Looney said she organized the underwater egg hunt because she wanted to blend the Easter tradition with the indoor pool. The Easter bunny will be at the event, and people may take their own pictures with the bunny.
“I love doing events in the pool,” she said. “I thought it would be fun. Kids love to swim. I’m excited to see how it goes. The first year will allow us to learn what people like and how to grow the event.”
The parks and rec department held its second Arnold Cotton Tail Express on March 29, when people scheduled a home visit from the Easter bunny.
Residents had the option of paying $15 for a visit with the Easter bunny or $25 for a visit plus 25 eggs.
Looney said 12 residents signed up for the visits, with half paying for just the visit and the other half paying for the visit and eggs.
She said the Easter bunny visited 16 homes the previous year.
“I think that event will continue,” she said. “It is good for the community for us to get out and bring the bunny to people’s houses.”