Stacey Dempsey has been inundated with Easter candy and treats lately; they’re taking up all the free space in her house. Colorful tubs of chocolate and marshmallows, Skittles are everywhere you look, even the occasional fruit snack has made an appearance.

Dempsey, owner of The Frosted Apron, really doesn’t mind. It’s all to give away to players in a great event, A Berry Sweet Easter Egg Hunt, March 24-28. The Easter Egg Hunt promises safe family fun along with a perfect opportunity to do some Easter shopping at participating stores.. Dempsey says she came up with the idea as the community began to open up again.

“I thought, this is a good time to support safe family fun and give our New Iberia businesses some promotion after the hard year we’ve had with the pandemic. I’m overwhelmed and grateful for all the response from the local owners. I know this event will be fun and bring our community together,” she said.

A Berry Sweet Easter Egg Hunt begins Wednesday when clues about the 13 participating businesses will appear on The Frosted Apron’s Facebook and Instagram pages. For those wanna-be players who are not social media connected, there are also three sites distributing paper copies of clues along with candy — the Iberia Parish Public Library on Main Street, where players can also pick up Bunny Bags with coloring sheets, puzzles and a birdie craft; Iberia Travel; and the Cyr-GatesCommunity Center in City Park.

Players should gather family and friends and try to guess the businesses that answer the clues, then follow their hunches during business hours to find the Easter egg placed somewhere in the office or store. Once they spot the 12- by 18-inch colorful egg, they should tell an employee that they’ve seen it to get some fun Easter treats (while supplies last at each location).

Easter egg hunters are also encouraged to do some Easter shopping while visiting the egg-bearers. No purchase is necessary, but while you’re there if you do purchase something from that business, every $15 you spend will give you a chance to win one of two Eggs-Treme Easter Baskets full of gifts and prizes from each participating business and sponsors of the event as well. The first prize basket is currently valued at $1000, and the second prize basket is worth $270 and climbing.

Drawings for the Eggs-Treme baskets will be held Monday, March 29.

In addition to the Easter Egg Hunt, hunters can visit the New Iberia City Park Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and enjoy lunch with additional eggs to be found.

Gary Dugan BBQ Pit Rentals will be serving complimentary barbecue hamburgers and hot dogs, along with lemonade courtesy of Raising Cane’s while supplies last. Hunters are encouraged to say hi or take a picture with The Frosted Apron’s buddy, Hunny Bun, the baking bunny from 11:30 a.m. to noon and from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. As a bonus, families may also take a stroll around the park to see if they can spot the large Easter Eggs that will be hidden in the area.

Dempsey said she hopes this event will become an annual New Iberia Easter Hop-pening. She also sends out a big thank you to local participating businesses, and to sponsors of A Berry Sweet Easter Egg Hunt: Bayou Traditions, Inc, Advantage Movers LLC, Sir Speedy (New Iberia), Gary Dugan BBQ Pit Rentals New Iberia, National Welding Supply, Raising Canes (New Iberia) and New Iberia City Park.

1. Participating in the riddle solving and the Easter Egg Hunt around town are free of charge.
2. To be entered in the drawing to win the Eggs-Treme Easter baskets you must solve the riddle, visit that place of business during their office hours, and let a store employee know when you spot the egg.

While you are there, every $15 you spend will earn you a chance to win. The more you spend, the more tickets you’ll have in the drawing.