Downtown Mena offers Easter fun for all ages

Submitted by:  Judy Thompson

The Easter Bunny visited downtown Mena on Saturday to the delight of the numerous boys and girls who visited him at Suzie Q’s.  Parents had a good time with this impromptu photo opp.  Goodies were given to children and a bunny rabbit stuffed toy with basket was given away.  This was part of the Easter Eggstravaganza sponsored by Mena Downtown Partners.  

Adults also hunted eggs in participating stores and received everything from discounts to free cookies!  Assorted children’s activities and freebies were also available.

A big part of the event was the opportunity to stroll the downtown sidewalks and view the colored/decorated Easter Egg sheets on display in various store windows.  This was a joint project of Downtown Partners and the elementary school art classes with the assistance of arts instructor Pat Self.  Over 900 sheets were distributed to the schools.  Semi-finalists and winners are on display downtown until April 9.  At that time, sheets will be taken to Wild Hare Art Glass where they may be picked up.

Winners of the Elementary Art Students Egg Coloring/Decorating Sheets are:

Kindergarten:

Most Colorful:  Brentley Singleton          Most Original:  Jude Williams           Best Overall:  Ava Vaughn

First Grade:

Most Colorful:  Raeley Evans

Most Original:  Cruxion Waid            Best Overall:  Niome LaSalle

 Second Grade:  

Most Colorful:  Trinity Curtis 

Most Original: Kaylee Hankins         Best Overall: Ashton Tidwell

Third Grade:      

Most Colorful:  Williams Gillespie             

Most Original:  Cooper Hadley        

Best Overall:  Ivy Rainmyers  

Fourth Grade:

Most Colorful:  Zoe Byrd

Most Original:  Brandi Miller

Best Overall:  Kinley Wren Cox       

Fifth Grade:

Most Colorful:  Kiera Killian

Most Original:  Hailee Pullen

Best Overall:  Alayna Shipp

Best Unique Color: Morgan Knittig (Second Grade)

Best of Show:  Niome LaSalle (First Grade)   

Linda Ostman, president of Mena Downtown Partners, and Judy Thompson, events committee chairman, extend congratulations to all the winners for their outstanding artwork.  Ostman reminds everyone to watch for more activities—big and small– during the coming months in downtown.  She smilingly advises everyone to brush up on their hula hoop skills and to get their pets looking perky!