An East Texas Easter at the Wynne Home

by Chrissy Biello

The Wynne Home Arts & Visitor Center’s annual Easter Egg Hunt, which began in 2008, is an event that families look forward to all year.

Despite a packed day in Huntsville—with Junk-a-Palooza and the Pineapple Run taking place simultaneously, and Rotary’s “Wine Fest” and a Sip N’ Shop event scheduled for later—the Wynne Home remained a go-to destination for local families eager to celebrate the season, drawing more than 200 people in attendance.

This year’s event was led by Wynne Home and Economic Development Events Coordinator Angela Robinson, along with Wynne Home Director Andrea Howard, and Administrative Assistant Lauren Payne. They were supported by an enthusiastic team of volunteers, including LEAP Ambassadors (some of whom drove in from Austin where they work as SHAIP interns in the Texas Legislature)…

…City Fellows Interns, Pre-Law Society members, and longtime community contributors Lois Stehlik, Nancy Ormsby, Janette Roesler, Stephanie Fors (our in-house chef!), and City Fellows intern Liv Hernandez.

To prepare for the festivities, volunteers arrived early to hide eggs—some tucked away in much trickier spots than others.

To make sure the games ran smoothly, a few volunteers even did a “test run” of the activities beforehand.

By 11:00 am, families began to arrive, and the children wasted no time jumping into the fun.

There was something for everyone: chalk, bubbles, hula hoops, jump ropes,

From cornhole…

Ring toss…

Velcro darts…

And the ever-tricky egg-and-spoon race.

This game is no easy feat, but that did not stop kids from giving it their all—even if it meant using a few creative tricks to stay balanced and win.

For those who preferred a quieter activity, the crafts table with Lois Stehlik and Nancy Ormsby offered a space to sit down and create something festive.

Not to mention, visitors could bring home their very own balloon art. Some opted for swords, while others wished for animals or flowers!

Then came one of the most anticipated moments of the day—the arrival of the Easter Bunny! Most children welcomed the Bunny with big smiles, hugs, and high-fives. A few were a bit unsure, but the Easter Bunny remained cheerful and kind throughout.

To fuel up before the big egg hunt, Stephanie generously prepared lunch for everyone—grilling around 200 hot dogs, served alongside chips and (hopefully not too messy) mustard and ketchup.

At 12:45 pm, it was finally time for the main event: the Easter Egg Hunt! Children were divided into two age groups—5 and under, and 6 and up. When the signal was given, kids took off running, eagerly scooping up eggs in every direction.

With 800 eggs hidden for the older group and 700 for the younger group, there were around 1,500 eggs in total—more than enough for every child to fill their basket.

Although the event officially ended at 1:00 pm, many families stayed afterward to play a few more games or proudly show volunteers the eggs they had collected.

The Easter Egg Hunt at the Wynne Home Arts & Visitor Center continues to be a heartwarming tradition that brings the community together for a joyful Saturday morning.

But in Huntsville, there are always upcoming events to look forward to, including the CASA for Walker County Kids EXPO and General Sam Houston Day on April 26, Sundown at Sam’s hosted by the Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Presidential Library on May 1, and the start of the Huntsville Main Street Program’s Summer Music Series on May 10.