Visiting a pig at the petting zoo was part of the annual Williamstown egg hunt at Owens Park on April 5. Shown are Ellie Britton (left to right), Kathi Britton, Cameron Pote and Monroe Councilman Brian Cope.
There was a lot of excitement in the air as parents and children walked into Owens Park on a chilly April 5.
The youngsters were not deterred by the forecasted rain, which never came, and they happily hunted for eggs, had their faces painted, enjoyed a petting zoo and saw the Easter Bunny.
All smiles and with a bunny drawn on her face, young Ellie Britton was asked about her favorite animal in the zoo. “I like the pig,” she said.
“What a great turnout,” noted Monroe Township Councilman Brian Cope, who was elected to his first term in November. “There are close to 1,000 people. We were thinking about canceling due to the forecast. We are happy we held the event today.”
Cope is the former director of the Parks and Recreation Department, which sponsored the egg hunt along with the Department of Community Affairs at the park adjacent to Williamstown High School on Tuckahoe Road.
The fun kicked off with simultaneous egg hunts in four areas of the expansive park for four age groups. The children yelled and screamed as they found eggs and filled up their bags. The line to get faces painted was long, but the children didn’t mind. Others went to meet the Easter bunny or to pet the farm animals.
The hunt kicked off a busy spring and summer of events for Williamstown residents, including the start of the baseball and softball seasons. Volunteers from the Department of Community Affairs – who helped out all day at the hunt – also look forward to the Main Street arts and crafts fesival on Saturday, May 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“The entire street is closed off to traffic and hundreds of vendors set up booths on the sidewalk,” said department supervisor Brandee Derieux, who added that the next party for older residents will be the senior prom on Wednesday, June 11, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Forum in Blackwood. There will also be a senior spring lunch at the Pfieffer Community Center on Thursday, April 17.
Cope looks forward to the next big event at Owens Park, which has two baseball fields, a softball field, two football fields, a tennis court, four pickleball courts, a basketball court, two hockey rinks, two volleyball courts, a dog park and a nature trail.
He expects the park to be filled by thousands of people on Saturday, June 17, for the annual music festival. Hours will be 5 to 10:30 p.m. and the event will feature 10 bands, two stages, 20 food booths and a fireworks display at dusk.
Owens Park will also host the Fourth of July puppy parade in the dog section at 11 a. m. Later that evening, there will be another set of fireworks.
