The Easter Bunny gets a high-five from a young visitor Saturday, April 3 at the Easter Egg-Stravaganza by Spruce Pine Southern Shows. (MNJ photo/Laz Aguayo)
SPRUCE PINE — Visitors filed into the Cross Street Commerce Center throughout the day on Saturday, April 3 for the Easter Egg-Stravaganza Craft and Garden Show presented by Spruce Pine Southern Shows.
The show, which ran from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., featured an Easter egg hunt for kids, crafts and plants for sale, games, food vendors and more.
Organizer Sherry Sautner held a Christmas-themed event in the Cross Street Commerce Center this past November. At the time, she said the main focus for the event was helping local vendors and small businesses who struggled during the pandemic.
That focus remained unchanged for the Easter Egg-Stravaganza.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Sautner said about the pandemic. “From the bottom of my heart, I care about Spruce Pine as a town. I wanted them to have just one good day. That’s what I’m looking forward to.”
The event focused heavily on entertainment for kids. Fun Time Inflatables provided bounce houses and games for kids and kids hunted for eggs with some lucky winners finding golden eggs which entitled them to special prizes and treats.
“We wanted to put on an event for the children of Mitchell County,” Sautner said. “After a year of hardships, they need just one day of normality. I think it’s important for younger children to get out and enjoy the day with family and friends.”
The show featured more than 50 vendors that sold a variety of goods including homemade crafts, live plants and other garden supplies, food and more.
Food trucks were also set up at the event and there was a food truck contest. Sautner added she tried to include as many local vendors as possible.
All vendors and guests followed standard COVID guidelines including distancing and mask-wearing.
“Events like these are one of the ways we can help our county,” she said. “Every dollar spent from visitors fuels the growth of our small town.”
Sautner said she plans to continue to hold events in Mitchell County with the hope of helping the local economy over time.
“We need to start branching out and thinking of new ways to stimulate our economy here,” Sautner said. “As an event coordinator, I get the most joy out of watching the happy faces and hearing the buzz of conversation in the room.”