200 brave snow to hunt for Old Town merchants’ Easter eggs

       The snow was close to an inch deep in places at Bancroft Park, but this did not deter families from flocking to the annual Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by the Old Colorado City Associates (OCCA) merchants group March 26. Maria Goni and son, Roman, have their pictures taken with the Easter Bunny.
       OCCA President Nancy Stovall estimated “at least 200 people” joined in the roughly half-hour activity, which included an Easter egg hunt, face-painting and balloon twisting.
       “The kids loved it,” she said. “They didn't mind the snow at all.”
       The “eggs” were actually egg-shaped plastic, some containing candy and others slips of paper identifying prizes that could be claimed. Some were items or services from area merchants; after the event, various participants could be seen strolling down Colorado Avenue to cash in what their children had won. Youngsters look sharply for eggs at the start of the ages 5-to-8 Easter Egg Hunt.
       OCCA board member Kathy Read was especially proud of the balloons festooning the event. “We had nine carloads of balloons,” she said.
       The only casualty from the weather was the small carousel that was to provide rides for the participants (age-limited to 8 years or younger). According to Stovall, the carousel owner, who would have had to drive down from Denver, decided not to risk the roads.
       The snowy conditions marked the second straight year of bad weather for the hunt, but Stovall said the OCCA has no intention of dropping the event. “I'm going shopping tomorrow,” she said, referring to area stores' post-day sales on Easter items.

Westside Pioneer article