Easter 2021: Egg Hunts, Services And Meals In And Near Decatur

DECATUR, GA — Easter celebrations across the country and in Marietta will look different from ever before in 2021 as traditional events such as egg hunts, religious services and restaurant deals will go on virtually as well as in person.

Easter Egg Hunt-at-Your-Own-Pace

Instead of the Decatur Visitors Bureau's traditional Easter egg hunt, the bureau has hidden 12 window cling "eggs" around Decatur. Check windows and doors at city buildings, retail shops and restaurants located in the city to find "eggs." The eggs are visible from the sidewalk.

When you find an egg, take a photo. Be one of the first 10 families to submit all 12 eggs by Sunday for a chance to win some Decatur swag and a $10 gift card to Greene's Fine Foods. Send photos to fun@decaturdba.com.

To view and print the flyer with photos of the window cling "eggs," visit this website.

DeKalb County Easter Egg Hunt in Decatur

The county's third annual Easter egg and scavenger hunt is set to take place Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. at Exchange Park, located at 2771 Columbia Dr. in Decatur.

The free event is for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. Participants will receive an Easter bucket while supplies last and must be accompanied by an adult. The event will include a drive-by scavenger hunt, vendors, photos with the Easter bunny and other activities.

First Baptist Church of Decatur, 308 Clairmont Ave.

• Easter Sunday services:
  • April 4 at 10 a.m.
  • Only virtual services will be offered. To get a link to the worship services in your email inbox, sign up here.

Decatur First United Methodist Church, 300 E. Ponce de Leon Ave.

• Holy Week services:
  • Simple, 10-15 minute online worship services running from March 29 to April 2. Each service takes place at noon.
  • The livestream is available via Facebook and YouTube.
• Maundy Thursday:
  • April 1 at 7 p.m.
  • Only virtual services will be offered for Maundy Thursday. The livestream is available via Facebook and YouTube.
• Good Friday services:
  • April 2 at 4 p.m. in person; 7 p.m. online.
  • In-person service will take place outdoors and registration is required. To register, visit the website.
  • The livestream is available via Facebook and YouTube.
• Easter Sunday services:
  • April 4 at 11 a.m. online; 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. in person
  • In-person service will take place outside, with the church offering three different outdoor services on the front lawn under a tent.
  • RSVPs for in-person service are required. To RSVP, visit the Easter section of the website.

North Decatur United Methodist Church, 1523 Church St.

• Maundy Thursday meditation/prayer:
  • April 1 at 7 p.m.
  • A guided Lectio Divina meditation will be available for download all day, and a church leader will lead an example of the prayer method virtually at 7 p.m.
  • Registration for the virtual event is required. To register, visit this link.
• Good Friday services:
  • April 2 at 7 p.m.
  • Only virtual services will be offered for Good Friday. The livestream can be viewed on the church's homepage, Facebook page and YouTube channel.
• Easter Sunday services:
  • April 4 at 10 a.m. online; in-person at 7 a.m., 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
  • The livestream for the 10 a.m. online service can be viewed on the church's homepage, Facebook page and YouTube channel.
  • Registration to attend in person is required. To register, visit this link and click the corresponding worship time to register.

Mostly religious services went virtual during the Easter season last year, when the coronavirus pandemic was still fairly new and most states remained under strict shutdown orders in mid-April. This year, there’s more of a combination of virtual and in-person services taking place with the pandemic having passed the one-year mark.

Many major American archdioceses, such as in Chicago, will continue to hold virtual services that will be streamed throughout Holy Week, which includes the Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday and Good Friday holidays leading up to Easter.

Good Friday, on April 2 this year, marks the death of Jesus Christ. Easter, two days later, celebrates the time when he was resurrected. The Sunday holiday always occurs on the Sunday after the first full moon of spring, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Religious traditions on Good Friday include periods of silence and fasting for many Christians, prominently in the Catholic faith.

Fairfax United Methodist Church in Virginia is also streaming its Holy Week services, with an in-person service offered to a limited number of attendees on Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter.

Many Protestant churches will have their traditional sunrise services with social distancing in mind. The Daytona Beach Drive-In Christian Church is having its services on Easter morning, while the Colorado Council of Churches canceled its service at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre and instead will have Bishop Kym Lucas of the Episcopal Church in Colorado lead a virtual service.

One of the most celebrated Easter traditions outside of church is the Easter egg hunt, many of which were canceled last year but will return in some form in 2021. In La Grange, Kentucky, an egg hunt is planned in conjunction with a drive-in theater and movie; and St. John’s United Methodist Church in Rock Hill, South Carolina, already held its egg hunt over two sessions, with early sign-ups required.