The Mount Airy Main Street Association's Search for the Golden Egg event is an Easter egg hunt with a twist.
Meant for adults and children alike, these eggs will be "hidden" in plain sight at participating stores in Mount Airy and decorated in a theme relevant to the business.
From Monday, April 2, through Saturday, April 7, visitors are encouraged to stop in participating downtown shops during their business hours to spy the eggs. Once the egg is spotted, a shop staff member will sign the search card which can be picked up at any of the participating businesses.
Once all the eggs have been located, turn in the completed card at either Beautiful Faces, 228 S. Main St., or Blossom and Basket, 3 N. Main St. The winner, selected via drawing, will receive a gift basket valued at more than $200; it's filled with items donated by all the participating businesses.
This is the 10th year the egg hunt has taken place, according to Ellie Bonde, chairwoman of the Promotions Committee for the association.
"The purpose of the event is to encourage people to come inside the shops," Bonde said. "They might have seen the shop from the outside but have never come in. We hope people come in and then want to come back another time."
Although the eggs are decorated and not necessarily "golden," when the event started 10 years ago, the businesses were given a gold-painted wooden egg to hide. But a fire in September 2007 destroyed several businesses on Main Street and Bonde said that three or four eggs were burned up. So instead of giving out more golden eggs, the idea to make business-themed eggs was born.
"Seeing what people create is fun," said Bonde. "A hair salon's egg might wear a wig, or a sporting goods shop's egg might be have a sweatband wrapped around it."
A list of the 21 participating businesses can be found on the association's website, http://www.mountairymainstreet.org, or call Ellie Bonde at 301-829-8300 for more information.
English in concert
Mount Airy Full Gospel Church will present a concert with Michael English at 7 p.m. Saturday.
English, a 13-time Dove Award winner and a Grammy Award winner, is a lead vocalist for the Gaither Vocal Band. His music style is described as southern gospel or contemporary Christian.
Tickets for the show are $10. For tickets, seating or other inquiries, call the church at 301-829-2199.
The church is at 13949 Penn Shop Road, Mount Airy.
Sunday dinner
A Palm Sunday chicken and ham dinner will be served from noon to 4 p.m. April 1 at the Lisbon Volunteer Fire Company.
The price is $14 for adults, $7 for 6- to 11-year-olds, and free for children 5 and younger. Donations are accepted for desserts. Carryout is $1 extra.
The fire hall is at 1330 Woodbine Road, Lisbon.
Call 410-489-4646 for more information.
