20,000 eggs gone in Elgin in 2 minutes

Like rabbits in the spring, Elgin families multiplied in a field along the rushing Fox River Saturday.

As the crowd grew, dozens of children in Easter pastels clutched plastic baskets and greedily eyed the green expanse before them.

At five minutes after 11 a.m., before the announcer had given the word, the children rushed the field, filling their baskets to the brim with plastic eggs and the candy treats nestled inside.

In the mad rush, one child fell and scraped her knee. Another, returning to her father with her basket only half full, was told to go back out to fight for the remaining prizes.

The eggs weren't hard to find. Thousands of them literally covered the grass behind the Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin's downtown.

But it took the kids only about two minutes to retrieve about 20,000 eggs - the most the event has ever offered.

Elgin marked Easter on Saturday with its annual spring festivities. Families gathered in the Hemmens for Easter breakfast and then assembled behind the cultural center for the Easter egg hunt in the late morning.

Raymond Richardson of Elgin brought his 2-year-old daughter Beyah to the egg hunt for the first time.

"I wanted her to get the experience, be around other kids, enjoy herself," Richardson said.

Because of the high turnout, Richardson was unable to find parking until the last minute, and as a result, Beyah was only able to snatch a couple eggs.

Still, she proudly exclaimed, "I got two eggs!"

Her father promised to buy her more to make up for it and to come earlier next year.

Saturday was the first time Elgin hosted the egg hunt in the field behind the Hemmens. The event has been held in Lords Park in the past.

"I think it was a huge success," said Michelle Hansen, the city's part-time special events coordinator. "We had a huge turnout."

Because of the high level of interest in the morning breakfast and the afternoon performance by the Radio Disney road crew, the city had to turn away a few families.

Hansen said she hoped to expand the event next year so more families could participate.