Utica Easter egg hunt is a go, but without real eggs, affecting decades-long tradition

The annual Easter Egg Hunt in Utica will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 19, at Danny Carey Field - but not with real eggs.

Utica Fire Chief Ben Brown confirmed Wednesday the nationwide egg shortage, which in turn has sent egg prices to rise to between $4 and $5 per dozen in the Illinois Valley, has led the fire department to procure 2,000 plastic eggs containing small treats or prizes.

“We usually order 160 dozen eggs and we weren’t able to get 160 dozen eggs to dye,” Brown said. “The plan is to be back to normal next year.”

Though the central problem was procuring such a large volume of eggs, Brown also acknowledged an ethical consideration. Many eggs get smashed during the hunt and organizers decided it was inappropriate to waste food during a time of shortage.

Wednesday’s announcement remarks a reversal from February, when Brown said Utica firefighters meant to proceed with the egg hunt irrespective of rising prices.

Record egg prices have been a reality since late 2024 when avian flu set off supply and demand issues. Egg prices rose 14% from November to December alone, according to figures from the Department of Agriculture.

The Utica Fire Department has featured dyed hard-boiled eggs for its hunts since the 1970s.