Photo/Adam C. Stapleton Children participate in the Dawson County Easter egg hunt at Rock Creek Park. Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation Lisa Henson said the hunt was a huge success. "This was probably the largest event that the park has had yet," said Henson, who added that nearly all of Rock Creek's parking spaces were used. Photo/Adam C. Stapleton Children enjoy an inflatable castle.

Dawson County's Rock Creek Park hosted the KARE for Kids Annual Easter Egg Hunt for the first time Saturday.

"I think this was the largest event that we've ever held at Rock Creek," said Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation Lisa Henson, adding that there were at least 300 children and parents in attendance.

The event nearly filled Rock Creek's parking lot as people from Dawson and surrounding counties gathered to collect prize and candy eggs the day before Easter Sunday.

Henson said the main difference between this year's hunt and previous ones was the inclusion of an Easter Bunny.

"We had an Easter Bunny this year for pictures with the kids," said Henson. "It was great, but the weather was so warm I'm sure that the Easter Bunny must have lost 20 pounds being out there."

Despite the hunt drawing record numbers, Henson described the event as less than perfect, calling it a learning experience for everyone involved.

"Everything went well except for two things. First off, we had originally intended to hold it on the previous Sunday, but because of bad weather we had to reschedule it for the Saturday before Easter. That only gave us an hour and a half to prepare after Saturday sports events were finished," said Henson. "And then of course, the egg hunt started 15 minutes earlier than we had scheduled it when everyone mistook the warning siren for the start of the hunt. It was terrible that not everyone was there early enough to participate."

Henson said that next year there will be no warning siren and that she hopes poor weather won't force them to reschedule.

"As soon as it was over we said, 'First thing's first: next year, one siren, five minutes after the top of the hour,'" said Henson.

E-mail Adam C. Stapleton at adam@dawsonnews.com.

Originally published Wednesday, March 26, 2008