The rains could be best described as “torrential” shortly after 6:00 a.m. on Saturday as the team of staff and volunteers from the Folsom Parks and Recreation Department arrived at Lembi Park to set up for the 2nd annual Festival of Eggs event. Despite Mother Nature’s wrath, the crew carried on, counting on the glimpse of drier skies that were visible on weather radar.
Before the sun had even come up, businesses and organizations from throughout the community began rolling in to fulfill their commitment to collaboratively create a fun family event, which takes place rain or shine. This year, it had its share of both rain and shine, with a bit more of the wet stuff than the dry, but the pesky weather didn’t seem to keep folks away or put a damper on the excitement for little ones that was visible throughout the day.
Equipped with their Easter baskets or bags and dressed in colorful attire, many of which were raincoats, umbrellas, and bright galoshes this year, youngsters began to arrive at the park right at the advertised start time of 8 a.m. to begin making their way through the “bunny trail,” consisting of various booths set up by local businesses and organizations. Due to the weather and wet fields at the park, the route of the trail was somewhat adjusted this year to keep little feet as dry as possible.
Unlike the historical-style egg hunts, which can be more of a mad dash for eggs that often lasts mere minutes and leaves many kids with an empty basket if they aren’t quick enough to outrun their counterparts, Saturday’s event was organized in a fashion that made sure every child had a hearty supply of handouts and treats before they left for home.
Folsom Parks and Recreation did an outstanding job of reorganizing the layout of the event as it became apparent the morning showers were heavier than originally forecast. Even though their route was somewhat adjusted, children and their parents made it to the many designated booths where they got a stamp on their provided bunny map and picked colorful eggs filled with prizes, including candy, as well as gift certificates to area businesses and more.
The event offered staggered arrival times for different age groups to help manage the flow of children and families for an enjoyable experience. Upon arrival, families had the opportunity to enjoy a pancake breakfast put on by the Lions Club. There was a kiddie carnival hosted by the Folsom Teen Council. Locally based Little Folk’s University dished out plenty of fun at their setup, dressed in costume and enjoying their role as much as the youngster enjoyed attending. While the youngsters enjoyed the Easter fun and goodies, parents had the opportunity to visit with local business owners that participated in the event.
The businesses and organizations ranged from schools, service clubs, bicycle clubs, restaurants, local news personalities, non-profits, and more. City council members Anna Rohrbough and YK Chalamcherla were on hand to chat with residents, as were members of the local American Legion, the Friends of the Folsom Zoo, Sacramento State Aquatic Center, and more. The event saw its share of dry time and showers, but nobody seemed to complain and merely popped out their umbrellas or enjoyed the morning under the covered picnic area of the park. Prior to the event, a total of 25,000 plastic eggs were stuffed with prizes by volunteers at City Hall Wednesday night to be distributed for the event, which was deemed a success, even with the weather.
“It was a good turnout even with the rain,” said Frankie Nelson, senior recreation coordinator for the Folsom Parks and Recreation Department. “The crowd ended up being just as big, if not bigger than we saw here last year when it wasn’t raining. The team did a really good job adapting to the weather.” (Folsom Times video and photos by Bill Sullivan)
