>> Where to eat Easter Brunch and Dinner in Dayton
>> UPDATED (4/18/19): Organizers of the Lost in the City egg hunt have made some changes to tonight's kickoff activities due to the weather. The children's hunt scheduled for 7 p.m. has been canceled due to the weather and the kickoff party has been relocated from outdoors at Levitt Pavilion to Table 33.
Sure, chocolate eggs and jelly beans are welcome Easter treats, but how about a new car or a trip to Disney World?
Participants in the upcoming Lost in the City city-wide egg hunt could win those or more than 100 other prizes in this year's three-day event.
From a new car, courtesy of White Allen, to a vacation for four to Disney World to free groceries or gas for a year, there will be several big-ticket items up for grabs, along with prizes from local businesses tucked inside the 500 golden eggs hidden around the city.
>> Where to see the Easter Bunny in Dayton
The event launched April 18 with a kickoff party at Table 33 and then the hunt began. But while the prizes may be the main motivation for some participants, helping others is at the heart of the Lost in the City event.
>> How to get tickets to Dave Chappelle’s Prince-themed Juke Joint
Sponsored by City Church, the event will also raise much-needed funds for meals for local children who live with food insecurity. In partnership with The Foodbank, event organizers are hoping to raise money for 27,000 meals.
>> Chef of Meadowlark and Wheat Penny plans new Springboro restaurant
“About one in five kids in our area deals with hunger on a regular basis,” said Charlie Carroll, City Church pastor. “We want to bring awareness to that issue and do something to help.”
Filling a need
The Foodbank and its partner agencies distributed nearly 13 million pounds of food last year to the 1 in 6 people in the Miami Valley — in Montgomery, Greene and Preble counties — who struggle with hunger.
Since 1976, it has been The Foodbank’s mission to address food insecurity locally. A household is considered food insecure if there is not access — at all times — to enough food for a healthy life for all household members.
According to Lora Davenport, advocacy & programs manager, The Foodbank works with more than 100 partner agencies to provide healthy food to families, seniors and children.
“There are a lot of people in our community with a lot of needs,” Carroll said. “What I have found is that when our community learns of a need, they are quick to help.”
How to donate: Website
Discovering the city
The thrill of the hunt, the possibility of a prize and service to the community, but Lost in the City is also about discovering Dayton.
“There are a lot of things in the city that have been forgotten — therefore have been lost,” Carroll said. “So, this egg hunt is also about bringing awareness to things that need to be discovered or rediscovered.”
Historical buildings, unique architecture, forgotten treasures, the city’s rich history will also be on display as participants of all ages descend on downtown. An estimated 25,000 people played along last year and, in its third year, organizers are expecting as many as 100,000 avid egg hunters this time around.
Dayton resident Melissa Manning was on the hunt every day last year, spending her lunch with a co-worker searching for eggs and doing the same with her husband and daughters over the weekend.
“It was kind of a family thing, we all participated,” Manning said. “It was a lot of fun.”
Get in the hunt
Participants can get registered for the hunt online at lostinthecitydayton.com. Registration also will be available at the event kickoff party. There is no cost to participate although donations are being accepted for The Foodbank on the Lost in the City website.
Three children’s egg hunts will also be held during the three-day event.
Additional information is also available on the Lost in the City 2019 Facebook event page.
GET LOST IN THE CITY
City-wide Egg Hunt: The 2½-day city-wide egg hunt runs from Thursday, April 18, to Sunday, April 21, with more than 100 prizes including a new car, a trip to Disney World and free groceries for a year.
April 18
• Kickoff Party: 5 to 8 p.m., Table 33, live music, food trucks, games/activities, photos with the Easter Bunny.
• Kids Egg Hunt No. 1: 7 to 7:15 p.m., Levitt Pavilion, separate zones for kids ages 0-3, 4-6 and 7-12 years old. -- CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER
April 20
• Kids Egg Hunt No. 2: 10 to 10:15 a.m., Table 33, separate zones for kids ages 0-3, 4-6 and 7-12 years old.
April 21
• Closing Party: 9 a.m. to noon, Levitt Pavilion, cash in your prizes, enjoy music, Easter Bunny photos and grand prize announcement
• Kids Egg Hunt No. 3: 10 to 10:15 a.m., Levitt Pavilion, separate zones for kids ages 0-3, 4-6 and 7-12 years old.
• Grand prize winners announced: 10:45-11 a.m.
• Celebration: 11 a.m. to noon
About the Author