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Firefighters host Rankin Eggstravaganza

Children will be clucking with delight while chasing a serious chocolate buzz during the second annual Easter Eggstravaganza this coming Saturday, March 31, in Rankin Inlet.

The event will run from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Williamson Lake outdoor rink, with the hunt for a figurative mountain of chocolate goodies getting underway at 11:30 a.m.

Rankin Inlet Fire Chief Mark Wyatt displays one of the large bins of chocolate treats that will be available during the second annual Eggstravaganza in Rankin Inlet this coming Saturday, March 31. Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

The chocolate hunt will be divided into three age groups of one-to-four years of age, five to seven and eight to 13.

The fun-filled event will also feature a bonfire and free hot chocolate, with hot dogs and cookies being served immediately after the Easter egg hunt is completed.

Rankin Inlet Fire Chief Mark Wyatt said he expects about 20 of the community's volunteer firefighters to help run the event.

He said this year's Eggstravaganza will also feature a very special presentation during the evening of March 30, beginning at 10 p.m., at Williamson Lake.

We decided to take it up a notch this year, so we've added a fireworks show to the mix on Saturday night,” said Wyatt. “People who enjoyed the New Year's Eve fireworks will enjoy this display just as much because it's going to be another really big show. It's going to look fantastic and people in the community are going to love it.”

Wyatt said the idea of the annual Eggstravaganza was first hatched about two years ago, when a small group of firefighters went out next to the rinks on Williamson Lake and gave away hot dogs and hot chocolate to the kids playing on the lake. People liked the idea so much they decided to do it again the following year.

Once we decided to go ahead with it again, we thought why not combine it with Easter and have an Easter egg hunt because many of the kids here never had one before. We spent a lot of money on eggs and stuff, and the eggs were gone in about 15 minutes. We got the Northern Store and Kissarvik Co-op on board with the idea, gave away a lot of hot dogs and had a bit of a bonfire. People really enjoyed it, so we decided it would be become an Easter tradition for the Rankin fire department to do this every year.”

Wyatt said the firefighters have a big supply of roasting sticks on hand, so the kids can roast their own hot dogs over the bonfire. They also have two big bins of candy at the fire station just waiting to be hidden for the kids to find.

Believe it or not, I actually haven't touched any of the candy,” quipped Wyatt.

The Co-op and Northern store are on board again, and they've given us some money towards the hot dogs, hot chocolate and cookies,” he said. “We'll hide the candy, set up the tent, get the bonfire going and be ready for a really great time that, hopefully, a good part of the community will come out to enjoy. The fireworks will cap-off what should be a great day of family fun on the lake.”