Central Point Easter celebration returns with free ADA-accessible egg hunts, activities

The Eggstravaganza is back and Central Point’s Twin Creeks Park will be hopping with activities, egg hunts and experiences, not only for excitable attendees looking to celebrate Easter, but also for visitors with disabilities partaking in the festivities.

The annual Easter event has been running for over 15 years and is organized by the Central Point Parks and Recreation Department.

“What started at a smaller section at Twin Creeks Park has expanded to five or six different egg hunt areas … we’re expecting it to be an amazing, beautiful day and 3,000 to 4,000 people to come out,” said Nikki Petersen, recreation manager for Central Point’s Parks and Recreation Department. “We have over 20,000 eggs and divide (the hunts) into age groups; the littles have their own time as well as the bigger kiddos, and we space it out depending on time.”

The Central Point Eggstravaganza is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 19, at Twin Creeks Park, located at 555 Twin Creeks Crossing Loop.

The Easter event is free to attend.

A key focus for the Eggstravaganza has been ensuring that kids of all ages and abilities can participate in the egg hunts and other activities.

“It’s always been really important to provide that space because Easter egg events in general tend to be busy and slightly hectic, so we want to always provide a space set back from the main egg hunt area,” Petersen said. “It tends to be quieter and we have eggs that beep and magnetic eggs that have poles that participants can use, and they can take the eggs that they find and trade them in for the same eggs at the (other) egg hunt area.”

The event includes plenty of activities outside of just egg hunting.

“We have a soft play area for the littles and everything at event is free, outside of the vendors you can purchase food from, then we have (Enchanted Experiences) princesses there and have an area to take pictures with them and other games and activities to partake in while you wait on the egg hunts,” Petersen said.

The event will have photo ops with the Easter Bunny as well as the Enchanted Experiences princesses, a Central Point-based club that dresses in Disney princess attire. 

“It was started by a group of ladies; I believe one is a school teacher and really enjoyed the events and dress up and expanded to offer classes and meet-and-greets with the mermaid princesses; they do fun crafts and activities and the kids can take pictures with them,” Petersen said. “We’ve been really blown away at how great and well received they are.” 

The Eggstravaganza is a well-loved event in the community, with thousands attending last year to collect more than 35,000 eggs across the fields of Twin Creeks Park.

“People love doing it and it’s such a big part of our community,” Petersen said. “The neighborhoods love this big event that’s right in their backyards.” 

The long-running Easter egg hunt is starting to become a multi-generational event for the Central Point and broader Rogue Valley community. 

“I love watching the parks community grow up with us; that’s what keeps me motivated every day,” Petersen said. “That’s the best thing about parks and recreation, the small kids that have participated in our events and classes turn around and work with us in the summer or become adults and teach classes with us; that’s what I think parks and recreation is all about, helping people and families learn and grow.”

For more details on the Eggstravaganza and the city of Central Point Parks and Recreation Department, visit centralpointoregon.gov/358/Central-Point-Eggstravaganza.

The parks and recreation department also organizes other community-centered events throughout the year such as Summer Movies in the Park, Liam’s Trunk-or-Treat and Community Christmas.

Reach reporter James Sloan at james.sloan@rv-times.com.