Local children searching for eggs at the annual Maydole Hose Company Easter Egg Hunt. This year, the event will be held on Saturday, April 12 in East and West Park in Norwich. (Photo by Sarah Genter)

NORWICH — The Maydole Hose Company will be hosting their annual free community Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 12.

Volunteers from the Maydole Hose Co. will hide over 5,000 eggs in East and West Park in Norwich, where local children up to age 8 will be able to collect them. They will also be able to meet the Easter Bunny, and have a chance to win a free bicycle.

Children up to age 4 will begin the hunt at 10 a.m. in West Park, followed by children aged 5 to 8 at 10:30 a.m. in East Park. All children must be accompanied by an adult, and bring their own baskets.

"We timed it once, each park it takes like two minutes to get them all," said Maydole Hose Co. President Pat Ford.

The event will be held rain or shine, and participants should wait on the sidewalks surrounding the park until given the signal to start searching.

All eggs will contain candy or prizes. Before leaving the park, participating children should check all their eggs, as one egg in each park will contain a ticket for a free bicycle, which can be redeemed on the East Park stage after both egg hunts are completed.

"We provide two bicycles and give them away for each age level," said Ford. "Our company purchases them, and we give a certificate if they want to exchange it, because a lot of times we get the wrong bike, or a little girl wants to exchange it."


The Maydole Hose Company sponsors several local events and nonprofit organizations, including the NHS After Prom Party, Little League, Norwich Youth Football, Firemen’s Home on the Hudson, Tunnels to Towers, St. Baldrick’s, and many others.

In 2023, they added Stanford J. Gibson Elementary School in Norwich to their list. Each year since then they have provided a donation for the school to purchase winter hats, coats, gloves, and boots for local children who need them.