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When:

Saturday, April 5th
3-5PM
2025

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Where:

Jacobson Center
3000 E Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA

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What is Special Egg Event?

The Special Egg Event is a free Easter egg hunt for children with special needs and their families. Enjoy food, carnival games, activity areas, and egg hunts that are designed for your child.

  • A Quiet Egg Hunt for children on the Autism Spectrum or children with Sensory Processing issues who need a quieter environment. Children who do not need a calm sensory environment should sign up for the general egg hunt.
  • A Beeping Egg Hunt For children who are blind or visually impaired.
  • A Magnetic Egg Hunt For children with wheelchairs or mobility restrictions. Magnetic eggs and poles Allow children to collect eggs
  • A General Egg Hunt with 2 heats: ASSISTED for children who need extra time or assistance hunting for eggs and UNASSISTED for siblings of children involved in any other hunts



Special Egg Event begins at 3 pm. Egg hunts begin at 3:30 pm
Activities available from 3-5 pm

We are excited to be back in the Jacobson Center for Special Egg Event 2025! This year’s Special Egg Event will take place on Saturday, April 5th, from 3-5 pm. There will be plenty of eggs for all the egg hunts, free food, and crafts and games for everyone. There will also be some special guests wandering around greeting the kids! We can’t wait to see you this Easter!

Location

We’re egg-cited to be at the Jacobson Center, Iowa State Fairgrounds, 3000 E Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50317 for this year’s Special Egg Event.

When you arrive at the event, watch for Special Egg Event signs on the street and volunteers who will guide you into the parking lot.








Sponsors

Special Egg Event is provided at no cost to the children and their families who attend. This is made possible by our generous partners and sponsors. We hope that you will consider making a contribution to this special event as it continues to grow. 100% of every donation goes toward the expenses of the Special Egg Event. Please help us make this an Easter to remember for every child with special needs in Greater Des Moines!

We have divided sponsorships into four Easter-friendly levels:

Corporate Sponsorship Levels

Golden Egg $2,000+

  • Website Recognition
  • Large Logo on Special Egg Event T-shirt
  • Insert for bags - your choice of coupons, fliers, etc.
  • Recognition in event program
  • Various signage throughout the event

Pastel Egg $1,000

  • Website Recognition
  • Small Logo on Special Egg Event T-shirt
  • Insert for bags - your choice of coupons, fliers, etc.
  • Recognition in event program

Chocolate Bunny $500

  • Website Recognition
  • Insert for bags - your choice of coupons, fliers, etc.
  • Recognition in event program

Peeps $250

  • Website Recognition
  • Recognition in event program
Give Now!

Current Sponsors

Golden Egg $2,000+

Pastel Egg $1,000

Chocolate Bunny $500

Peeps $250

FAQ

Q: May I drop my children off?
A: NO. Because this is a family event, we require that each child have the supervision of a parent or guardian while participating.
Q: If I don't register before the event, may my child still participate?
A: YES. Pre-registration helps us to adequately prepare for the number of children who will be attending the Special Egg Event. We also provide FREE t-shirts for the first 300 children who are registered for Special Egg Event.
Q: Is there a cost for this event?
A: NO. This event is being organized by Journey Church in partnership with businesses, organizations, and individuals as sponsors to assure there is no cost to the families participating in the Special Egg Event. We realize that events like this are not common and we want you to enjoy it without being charged an entry fee to have fun.
Q: Is this event for siblings as well?
A: YES. All brothers and sisters at the event will be able to participate in our general egg hunt and other activities offered. Please register all children who will be participating.
Q: What are the ages for the egg hunts?
A: This event is specifically designed for children with special needs who would be considered an elementary school age. However, regardless of age, if your child would have fun participating at the event you are more than welcome to come be a part of this fun day!
Q: What are the egg hunt times?
A: The first Egg Hunt will start at 3:30pm. Each egg hunt will take place in 20 minute intervals. Specific start times will vary depending on the egg hunt your child will participate in. A schedule of each egg hunt start time will be provided in your registration packet.
Q: What happens if the weather is bad?
A: We have great news! Our venue is indoors so the weather will not affect our fun!
Q: What should my family and I expect at this event?
A: In addition to the egg hunts, there will be carnival games, food, art activities, several team mascots and kid-friendly characters, and an Easter Bunny to take pictures with children and their families. Plan on coming out and spending a great time enjoying this fabulous, family friendly atmosphere, you never know who you'll meet.
Q: What type of food and candy will be provided?
A: All candy inside the eggs will be individually wrapped. Not all eggs have candy, some have other prizes. We will also be providing a meal for your entire family.
Q: Where do I park?
A: There is ample parking at outside the Jacobsen Center, as well as a drop off zone you can pull up to. We will have parking attendants helping to direct you when you arrive.
Q: Who is staffing this event?
A: The Special Egg Event is staffed by volunteers from Journey Church as well as the Special Olympics, VSA Iowa, ChildServe, Easter Seals Iowa, and other approved volunteers from the community.
Q: Who is putting this event on?
A: This event has been created by Journey Church out of a desire to make Des Moines a better place. Journey Church wants to display Christ's love in a way that people can feel and touch.
Q: Will this be a safe event?
A: YES. We are working hard to ensure the safety of all who participate in the Special Egg Event. We have requested the assistance of the local police, fire, and EMS departments. In addition, we will have a first aid station with trained medical staff on site.

Contact

For questions, media inquiries, or sponsorship information please contact us via this form.