Crowded fields mark Mound City's egg hunt

Egg hunters sprint off the starting line at Mound City's Easter egg hunt on Saturday, April 4. One official estimated that more than 400 attended the event. (Photos by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal)

One Mound City official estimated attendance at Mound City's Easter egg hunt on Saturday, April 4, at more than 400. Set at the ballfields in the southwest part of the city, each of the three diamonds were packed with children and parents and grandparents around the starting lines, which were the first to second to third base lines.

The largest of the egg hunts in Linn County, the outfields of the ball diamonds had thousands of plastic eggs scattered about. Those eggs earlier in the year sat in the Mound City Council chambers waiting patiently for the city staff and volunteers to fill them with candy and prize tickets.

When the go-ahead sounded, children ran toward areas they had been eyeing ever since they arrived, quickly filling baskets and plastic bags with their bounty. The hunt was over quickly with children and their handlers opening the eggs and tossing both pieces into a basket or sack to be returned to city hall for refilling next year.

Five-year-old Tucker poses with the Easter Bunny for a photo.

A single egg was plenty for 11-month-old Cade who found warmth in the lap of his grandfather, Kevin Umphenour.

Freya, 10, and her friend Ariana, 16, sort through the plastic eggs after the hunt. The Mound City neighbors put in a team effort with Ariana holding the bag while Freya collected eggs.

Four-year-old Sawyer scoops up an armful of eggs and heads back to his mom who was holding the bag.

Everett, 4, searches for more eggs to fill his basket.

Here are more photos from the event. Click on the photo for the full-size image.