The football field at Veterans Memorial Park looked like it had been the victim of an Easter shower this weekend as Dawson County residents brought their children to gather chocolate prizes.

Sponsored by Dawson County Parks and Recreation, K.A.R.E. for Kids and the church @ War Hill, the 27th annual Easter egg hunt at the park drew a large crowd to hunt eggs, take train rides and get their faces painted. There also was a burger-eating contest.

"I think we had about 1,200 [participants in the egg hunt] this year," said Mike Meade, K.A.R.E. for Kids board member.

The annual event always draws a crowd, according to Meade, though it's not a K.A.R.E. for Kid's fundraiser.

"We do this as a service for the community," he said. "We help provide things throughout the year for kids, like Christmas, schools supplies, we help out with prom, things like that."

New this year, the church @ War Hill joined with K.A.R.E. for Kids to provide donations and volunteers, according to Meade.

Susy Holloway came Saturday to help out and watch her kids gather eggs.

"This is my first year coming to this," she said. "I came because my church ... is working the egg hunt. I've got twins that are 6, a 10-year-old and 12-year-old. I'm looking forward to seeing how much they can get and just watching the kids have fun."

The parents weren't the only ones looking forward to the hunt. One little girl was pressed against the gate five minutes before the hunt started.

"I'm going to get a prize first and then some eggs and candy," said Shay Lingerfelt, 6.

A few minutes before the hunt was scheduled to begin, the gates opened and the children were led onto the field by their parents. Organizers then lined them up in front of plastic ribbon barriers based on age.

At 2:30 p.m., the signal was given and waves of children tore through the ribbons in a mad dash for eggs.

In a matter of minutes, they had cleaned the field of egg, each scurrying back to their parents to show their loot.

"Yeah! I'm excited!" Andy Abernathy, 5, told his father. "I got a lot. You can have the eggs, Daddy."