Great Falls — The Sunday before Easter, the children of Great Falls will gather at the Village Green to search for eggs filled with candy, and in some cases, something even more valuable. The annual Spring Festival and Egg Hunt will be hosted by the Great Falls Optimist Club and will feature more than 5,000 eggs scattered across the green.

Eggs without candy will feature gems donated by Jorge Adeler, owner of Adeler Jewelers, in another annual tradition.

"The kids might not care too much about the gems, but for them it’s all about the thrill of the hunt," said Claire Nemtov of Great Falls. "They can line up with their friends, race around and find eggs, and then brag about how many they got and who got the better candy. It’s great."

The festival will also feature games and carnival rides, as well as hayrides around the Village Centre.

"I think the Spring Festival is a perfect little event, the eggs, the games, it’s sort of like our seasonal festival at the Village Centre," said Henry Archer of Great Falls. "We come in the winter for the Christmas Tree and the summer for Fourth of July, so it’s only natural to be there for eggs."

The Spring Festival and Egg Hunt will take place on Sunday, April 1, with registration starting at 1:30 p.m. and the hunt beginning at 2 p.m.