Residents of the Rico community in south Fulton always have a good time when a celebration is at hand. March 31 was no exception, as several hundred people attended the annual Spring on the Green festival.

The sun peeked through the clouds that Saturday morning, accompanied by a mild breeze and the smell of barbecue in the air. The festivities began with a welcome by the master of ceremonies, the Mad Hatter, cleverly disguised as Ernie Henderson.

The day was packed with fun for everyone. Perhaps the premier event for any Easter celebration, especially for young children, was the Easter egg hunt. A large area of bright green grass was cordoned off and filled with 4,000 eggs. Many of the colorful prizes were clearly visible in the grass while others were buried in bales of hay that dotted the landscape, doubtless planted by crafty egg-hiders who wanted to provide a challenge for the young searchers. All in all, the egg hunt was a blast, with adults on the sidelines having nearly as much fun as the kids.

But the egg hunt was only the beginning of the day’s fun. Next up were a combination of events. Adults watched as entries for the best cake, pie and cupcake contest were judged while, just a stone’s throw away, children, and yes, some of the adults, watched as the first of four puppet shows provided singing, dancing and a stage full of antics.

Two of the day’s events were ones requiring more skill than most adults would care to muster. Perhaps that is why it was mostly the kids that tried their hand, make that their leg, at the sack race and three-legged race. But it was children and adults that made their way to the petting zoo, making the time to cuddle with some of nature’s cutest animals.

All during the festivities, families chowed down on barbecue plates, iced tea and a wealth of sweet goodies. Merrymakers also took advantage of the scenic view of the Rico landscape from the lofty heights of the ferris wheel, back again this year for the festival. And Spring on the Green brought other delights, such as an auction of the winning cake, pie and cupcake entries and the judging of the most original easter hat. The day’s events ended with the Easter Parade, with residents holding palm fronds to mark the solemnity of the occasion.

Any festival at Rico is a time of conversation, fun and laughter. It is what Spring on the Green has become famous for.

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