Parks and Recreation Director Prutty Holman has hailed the city of Pine Bluff’s first-ever Easter “Eggroll” as a major success, noting the event successfully created a safe, fun, and interactive space for the community.
Attracting approximately 300 attendees to Regional Park on Saturday, the gathering offered local families a novel way to celebrate the holiday season. Holman said the overall feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many people expressing gratitude for a free and fun activity for children.
“Even the city attorney was in attendance and stated it was a great event,” said Holman.
According to Holman, the event was specifically designed to support the mayor’s mandate to provide more entertainment and address the lack of recreational activities in Pine Bluff. Holman emphasized the importance of this type of investment in the city’s youngest residents, saying the event was a “clear investment in the youth activities, and it didn’t require the use of a tablet or phone.”
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A unique element of the event was the incorporation of food, playing on the word eggroll. While the egg hunt — staggered by age groups with children running toward eggs in the field — was the highlight for the children, the actual eggrolls seemed to be a hit with the adults, according to Holman. Children also had the chance to find golden eggs for special prizes, which were sponsored by Carpenters Lawncare.
Beyond entertainment, the event succeeded as a social opportunity, promoting community unity and well-being. Holman recounted a precious moment of the day when she was serving eggrolls and saw a 6-year-old ask the mom about saying “hi” to an old friend.
“This was so funny to me, and the mom shared that they went to daycare together and they had not seen each other since they started kindergarten,” she said. “If a 6-year-old can find an old friend, I can only imagine how many adults were able to connect with individuals they hadn’t seen in years.”
Looking ahead, Holman is already planning for the annual event and aims for continued expansion. She is dedicated to increasing local partnerships to bridge financial gaps and elevate the event. She stated organizers would like to see 300 more children attend.
Improvements under consideration for the next event include pulling out more decor and possibly adding “face painting, costumes, sack races, and more.”
Holman shared a message for attendees and future participants, stressing the ongoing commitment to youths in Pine Bluff.
“The message I want to share is that we are going to continue to focus on the youth and invest in activities for them,” she said. “We want the youth to know they are relevant, essential, and valued in this community, and engaging in our youth is vital to a growing, thriving, and safe Pine Bluff.”
