Cedarville Prepares for Annual Easter Festivities

The day before Easter Sunday is often a hectic day. There’s food preparation to be done, decorations to be set and everyone is excited for the day to come.

In the village of Cedarville, there’s an added excitement to the day.

On April 15, the day before Easter, Cedarville will host their annual Easter egg hunt.

The event will start at noon and will take place at the Cedarville community park on East Street. The day will be packed with activities, including barrel rides, group games, a bouncy house and three separate egg hunts for three different age groups.  

Tony Gillaugh, the community member who is planning the event, said that he has been working on the event since February, but he doesn’t mind the work.

“This is something I enjoy,” Gillaugh said, “and I love to be somewhat of a community activist in this way.”

There’s a lot that goes into the day, but the community has come together to support the event.

Gillaugh and his brother, Chris Gillaugh, worked to make the barrel ride cars for the kids. Different organizations around the area have contributed to the supplies needed for the event. As an extra treat, Walmart donated three new bicycles this year that will be won within the three age groups.

 “It’s a great testament to what a few people in the village can put together that benefits the entire community,” Mayor Robert Fudge said.

Last year, the mayor went with his wife, children and grandchildren, and he said that it was a lot of fun for people and kids of all ages.  

“It’s unique because everyone can go, from one-year-olds to college kids,” Fudge said. “It invites everybody, even those who are only a part of the community temporarily, to partake in some small-town fun.”

The egg hunt will be split into three age groups: 1-3, 4-8 and 9-12. There will be 1,000 eggs per group, and in each group, there will be one egg with a token that signifies they are the winner of the bicycle.

In addition to games and the egg hunt, the Easter Bunny will also be making an appearance. There will be opportunities to have photos taken with the Easter Bunny in front of a festive backdrop. But adding even more excitement for the kids, there will also be an appearance from Mickey and Minnie.

Regarding the types of family fun activities that he gets to plan, Gillaugh said, “it’s so exciting to see kid’s reactions to new stuff, stuff they’re not used to.” 

“Some families can’t afford to go to Disney,” Gillaugh said, “but they still could have the opportunity to see Mickey and Minnie.”

Gillaugh said that organizing community event such as these is his passion. He was once vice president of the chamber of commerce, but he stepped down from that because he knew he had more interest in family and fun than businesses.

Two years ago, there hadn’t been an egg hunt in the village for years, but Gillaugh wanted to make it happen once again. He said that he was approached by two different people in the weeks leading up to Easter.

“I knew that this was something I was meant to do,” Gillaugh said.

He sought out a sponsor and was rewarded, receiving even more than he had asked for. The community park approved it with the even being just a couple weeks away, and the egg hunt was a reality.

Now, it is his second year running the event, and he is excited to see what the day will look like.

“It warms my heart to do things like this to make the community better,” Gillaugh said. “It’s a lot of fun for me to see the smiles and happy faces on families.”

Gwendolyn Peterson is a freshman journalism major and off-campus news writer for Cedars. Her favorite things include strong coffee, Ron Swanson quotes and Oreo Thins (because the serving size is four instead of three).

If you are planning to be in town for Easter and are interested in being a part of the day, Tony Gillaugh is looking for volunteers. You can contact him at (937) 605-4722.