For the first time, Elizabethton Parks and Recreation will be joining over a dozen other churches and groups in hosting an Easter egg hunt during Easter weekend, but they will be changing up the formula to keep things interesting.

Kelly Kitchens of Parks and Rec said they have wanted to host an egg hunt for a while.

“Our schedule opened up to where we did not have to compete with other large egg hunts in the city,” Kitchens said.

For starters, Parks and Rec is hosting their egg hunt on Friday, April 19, rather than the day after.

“As someone with a small child, it is great to be able to attend all of them,” she said.

In addition, unlike most other egg hunts, Parks and Rec will not divide the hunts by age group. Rather, everyone will participate in the same egg hunt, in which they will genuinely try to hide over 2,500 eggs in the Covered Bridge and Edward’s Island Parks.

“We have plenty of space over there, and it offers great hiding possibilities,” she said. “This will not be a dump and grab kind of hunt.”

She said this is in order to help the older kids feel like they are participating in something without taking away from the younger kids’ ability to find eggs of their own.

“It is going to take more time and effort to find them,” Kitchens said. “Everyone will have a fair shot.”

She said the location is also a bonus, as the two parks have a nice, paved trail going between them.

“It doubles as a nature walk to take with your kids,” she said.

In addition to the egg hunt, Kitchens said they will have the Easter Bunny on the Covered Bridge stage, as well as inflatables and free balloons.

The egg hunt will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, April 19, at both the Covered Bridge and Edward’s Island Parks, located in the heart of Elizabethton.

“Regardless of your goal there, whether to collect the most eggs or bounce in the bouncy castle the longest, there will be something for everyone there,” Kitchens said.