Hundreds of Richland County kids scrambled to collect the most plastic eggs at the Finlay Park Egg Roll. 

School was out on Good Friday, and hordes of children and parents joined in the Easter fun. 

“It’s bigger than what I expected,” Columbia mother Moni’ya Kelly said. “I didn’t know they were going to have everything out here, the free food for the kids, the ice cream, the games.”

The event boasted five local food trucks offering free food for the youth. Dozens of local vendors such as Looney Ballooney, Masquerade Designs Face Painting and Miss Tyga’s Body Art also offered free fun for the kids. 

Isabella Gonzalez-Parkes got a rainbow and bunny face painted at the Masquerade Designs tent. 

“The kids are so excited to get to come and egg hunt,” Isabella’s mother, Rachael Gonzalez-Parkes, said. “It’s a beautiful day. Lots of vendors. Obviously, the city did a great job.”

Richland County Library set up a pop-up children’s library in a van, while organizations such as EdVenture Children’s museum and Columbia Community Gardens brought interactive, educational activities. The Columbia Police Department even brought its own custom ice cream truck for officers to pass out free frozen treats. 

The event, previously held in Segra park, was reinstated by Columbia City Councilman Sam Johnson in the recently renovated Finlay Park.

“We had an Easter egg hunt, but unfortunately it was discontinued during Covid,” Johnson said. “And so we think about this park, the crown jewel park of the city – it seemed like the perfect time to create a new tradition.”

The new location was possible due to the $25 million investment to revitalize Finlay Park, which reopened in November. 

“Good use of tax dollars,” Columbia mom Lauren Brown said. “I’m just thankful that the city would do something like this for the kids.”

Heathwood Park Specialist Alizay Hickson switched parks for the day to volunteer at the Egg Roll. 

“I love Finlay Park,” Hickson said. “This is my childhood park, and I can see every dime that they invested out here. It’s gorgeous.”

The revived event is more inclusive than ever.

“This year, one thing we wanted to add was a sensory-friendly hour, making it accessible to our youth and making sure everyone gets to participate,” Johnson said.

An hour before the public event, families could come enjoy the quieter environment of a sensory-friendly Easter egg hunt. 

“This is for special needs children, just to kind of give them a peace of mind, but still give them that sense of enjoyment,” Hickson said. 

The public egg hunts were separated by age group in different areas of the park, with 2- to 4-year-olds in the “Secret Garden,” 5- to 7-year-olds in the “Cascade Walk”and 8- to 14-year-olds in the “Gadsden Green.”

“What I really like is that there’s an age group for every area, so we keep everyone safe,” retired veteran Denise Slade said.

The child who collected the most eggs in each age group won a large basket full of candy and goodies. Eleven-year-old Heiress Raine Wilson won the 8- to 14-years-old division, with 67 eggs collected. 

“I’m very proud of her and excited that she, even at her age, loves to have fun and be involved and be active,” Wilson’s mother, Mary Jones, said. “I am proud of her for participating in events like this and enjoying it.” 

Members of Columbia City Council hope to reinstate the event annually following its success. 

“We want to kick start and redo this as a tradition,” Johnson said. “And certainly, I think we got the right venue here in Columbia.”