Hundreds turn out Houston Easter Egg Hunt and BBQ, breaking attendance record

Children and parents waited in breathless anticipation for the signal. Some could be seen plotting which colorful eggs they were going to go after, while others decided to just run for it, not stopping until they hit the snow bank, where they were sure there were more eggs.

Once the signal was given, the kids were off! Hundreds of children ran to collect the eggs, which weren’t really hidden, hoping to grab as many as they could. Parents followed closely behind, wielding their smart phones to capture the moment.

One attendee could be overheard asking “How can we get our kids to clean their toys this fast?”

Hundreds turned out for the Houston Easter egg hunt and barbeque held this past Sunday. In a joint effort that included the Houston Lions Club, the Houston Homesteaders’ Community Center, Houston Fire Department, and the City of Houston Parks and Recreation, people were able to enjoy food, fun, and friends.

Houston Parks and Recreation Commission member Kimberly Mietzah-Damkoehler, who organized the event, said she couldn’t be more pleased with the turnout.

“I was impressed and humbled by how our community stepped up and pitched in to bring this event to life for all the kids and their families. I truly love living here,” she said.

The event does have an interesting history behind it, as Rosemary Burnett from the Lions Club explains.

“The event originally started at the Houston Lodge, and sometime later, the Fire Department tried to have it and they forgot to cook the eggs,” she recalled humorously.

In between eggs being cooked or not, some accidentally left behind only to be discovered later, the community event has grown over the years, with this year being the biggest so far.

“Every year it’s been a learning experience,” said Burnett with a smile.

“We planned for 300, but certainly didn’t expect this. It has to be the biggest crowd we’ve ever had here,” said Houston Fire Chief Christian Hartley.

Even with the large crowd, many folks were simply happy to have something for their families to participate in, while getting out and enjoying the sunshine, and meeting up with friends.

“We had a blast!” said mom Melinda Watkin, “it was nice to come out for the kids and the weather was amazing,” while her kids excitedly showed off their prizes and stash of candy.