ARLINGTON — In spite of the day’s inclement weather, the Arlington community celebrated Easter not just once, but twice on Saturday, April 19, with a morning Easter egg hunt on the open grass fields adjacent to the Arlington Municipal Airport that was nearly literally blown away, and an evening flashlight Easter egg hunt on the stadium fields of Haller Middle School, that carried on in spite of a cold drizzle and some lingering sunlight.

Arlington mom Terri Day has been bringing sons Callen, 10, and Landen, 7, to the city of Arlington Recreation Department’s morning Easter egg hunt for the past four years.

“It has such a friendly atmosphere, and it’s so well-organized and well-prepared,” Day said. “They even have volunteers with baskets full of extra eggs, in case any kids weren’t able to collect enough. It’s fun for all ages.”

Indeed, Day’s family has had so much fun at this Easter egg hunt over the years that she invited her brother and his family to come from Mukilteo to take part in this year’s festivities.

Fellow Arlington parents Tina and Brian Anderson have been bringing their expanding brood to the morning Easter egg hunt for the past six years, when daughter Gabriella was just a newborn, and before her 4-year-old sister Samantha and 2-year-old brother Grayson were even born yet.

“It’s a tradition for us to come, get candy and have our photos taken with the Easter Bunny,” Brian Anderson said. “We also like seeing the fire trucks and paramedics here, even though they had to leave early to go out on calls this year.”

The rest of the event’s festivities soon drew to a close after cutting winds blew over the tents sheltering the volunteers from Cascade Valley Hospital, the Arlington United Church, Youth Dynamics and the Arlington Arts Council, who were serving cookies and beverages, including unseasonably popular hot chocolate. CVH Community Relations Coordinator Jennifer Egger expressed her gratitude to all those volunteers, especially the Arlington Fire and Police personnel who were called away, as well as the Arlington Arts Council for supplying children’s art bags as prizes.

While those who brave the evenings to take part in the Arlington Relay For Life’s flashlight Easter egg hunts aren’t put off by rain, the fact that skies were still relatively light when the hunt was scheduled to start posed a problem this year. Still, even though the hunt wrapped up much more quickly this year, neither kids nor parents seemed to mind.

“I have to give this a thumbs-up, if only because we won a basket,” said Krista Gibson, who attended the flashlight Easter egg hunt for the first time this year with her sons Lucas, Connor and Kai. “This is Kai’s first Easter ever.”

While Mitch Odenius cherished seeing all the smiles on children’s faces, mom Katey Bates appreciated that the mad scramble of the hunt, after the stadium lights were shut off, was something that she could be part of as much as her 12-year-old son Brody.

“This is something that adults can do with their kids,” agreed Rob and Sandra Matthews, second-time attendees of the flashlight Easter egg hunt, who were accompanied by their son Mason, 12, and daughter Arissa, 5. “It’s something totally different from the typical Easter egg hunt, but it’s become just as much of a tradition for us. Besides, it helps fund the American Cancer Society, which is always a good cause.”

The Matthews family turned out to be doubly lucky that night, as Arissa scored a goodie bag full of tasty treats, while her mom and dad won housecleaning services.