(Photo by Evan Bevins) Children scour the playground at the Oak Grove Recreation Center for eggs Sunday during the Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Department’s annual Easter egg hunt.

OAK GROVE — In Saturday’s warm weather and Sunday’s chillier temperatures, kids around the Mid-Ohio Valley pursued candy and prizes in bright plastic shells.

With dozens of children racing across the grass and families gathered throughout the property, organizers said of Mt. Zion Baptist Church’s annual Easter egg hunt said the event continues to be a highlight of the season in Mineral Wells.

Approximately 2,000 eggs were spread across the church property for children of all ages to find. The event included designated areas for younger children near the parsonage and picnic shelter, while older participants searched in other sections of the grounds.

“It’s always this crowded and this loud,” said Reneé Scott, a member of the church’s board of Christian education and a trustee.

Scott said the event is a longstanding tradition for the church and continues to attract both members and families from the wider community.

(Photo by Evan Bevins) Aiden Clayton, 8, of Roxboro, N.C., gathers eggs during the Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Department Easter egg hunt Sunday at the Oak Grove Recreation Center. Clayton and his family were visiting his great-grandmother for the holiday.

“Anyone that has kids brings all the kids. They all come out,” she said.

Church volunteers, including teens paired with adults, helped organize the hunt by guiding groups of children through designated areas. After collecting eggs, participants returned to receive snacks and drinks and check for prize-winning eggs.

According to organizers, each group included 10 prize eggs, which could be redeemed at tables inside the church. Additional prizes were made available for children who may not have found one during the hunt.

“We still want to make sure everybody gets something,” Scott said.

In addition to the hunt, families received packets that included information about the church and the meaning of Easter. Pastor Mary Beth McCloy addressed attendees, sharing the story of Easter and inviting families to participate in upcoming church activities.

(Photo by Evan Bevins) Marietta resident Amelia Keys, 5, searches for a heart-shaped Skittles egg during the Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Department’s annual Easter egg hunt Sunday at the Oak Grove Recreation Center.

“Easter is such an amazing time, a time to celebrate our savior, Jesus Christ,” McCloy said as she read from materials included in the packets.

The event also served as an opportunity for the church to connect with the community, offering information about worship services and children’s programs, including a monthly kids club.

Across the Ohio River, the Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Department has held an egg hunt on Easter Sunday for much of the department’s 70-year history, said Wendy Thieman, squad captain.

“It’s a tradition, so everybody has that date in mind,” she said. “We enjoy the large crowd.”

Thieman estimated there were between 1,800 and 2,400 eggs filled with candy and some prize tickets. They were scattered around the field and playground at the Oak Grove Recreation Center behind Oak Grove Christian School.

(Photo by Evan Bevins) Children scour the playground at the Oak Grove Recreation Center for eggs Sunday during the Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Department’s annual Easter egg hunt.

Eight-year-old Aiden Clayton went against the grain when a fire truck siren signaled the start of the hunt.

“Everybody went for the playground, but I went for the grass,” said Clayton, who was pleased with his haul.

A resident of Roxboro, N.C., he was in town visiting his great-grandmother, Susie Kelley, for the holiday.

Marietta resident Stephanie Rowe brought her daughter, Jarrah DePriest, 8, to the hunt, something they’ve done for several years.

“I like it ’cause it’s small,” Rowe said. “It’s very easy-going.”

(Photo by Gwen Sour) Kids race to hunt eggs during the Mt. Zion Baptist Church Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday in Mineral Wells.

Attending with them, for the first time, was Marietta resident Alexandra Jones and her children Zane, 6, and Amelia Keys, 5. The siblings were intent on “getting the heart eggs,” heart-shaped plastic containers holding Skittles, Zane said.

Thieman said the drop in temperature might have kept the crowd size a little smaller than last year’s.

City Editor Evan Bevins contributed to this story.

(Photo by Gwen Sour) From left, Gabrielle Arthurs helps Nyla and Ellis Arthurs sort through the candy they collected during the Mt. Zion Baptist Church Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday in Mineral Wells.

(Photo by Gwen Sour) Pastor Mary Ann McCloy, right, reads the story of Easter prior to the start of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday in Mineral Wells.

(Photo by Gwen Sour) From left, Anthony and Avyana Campbell pose for a picture with the Easter Bunny while Lisa Campbell takes a photo during the Mt. Zion Baptist Church Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday in Mineral Wells.