For the first time in years, the Easter bunny won’t be paying a visit to Central City Park this year.

The annual Easter egg hunt there, traditionally one of the largest in Middle Georgia, isn’t being held Saturday.

Bibb County Commissioner Joe Allen, founder and CEO of Kids Yule Love which coordinated the egg hunt, said he canceled it because “parents caused a situation in which some children got hurt.”

Although areas of the park were designated for different age groups, Allen said some parents insisted on accompanying their children in the egg-finding quest. Incidents occurred, he said, when parents became violent in an attempt to get eggs for themselves or their children.

In past years, one woman was injured and several children were “trampled on,” Allen said.

The event, he decided, had become a liability for Kids Yule Love.

“When people get hurt, they want some kind of compensation,” he said.

Allen said Thursday that parents should “let the Easter egg hunt be about the children.”

“People forgot what the program was about. ... An Easter egg hunt is only part of what Easter is all about,” he said.

Despite the cancellation of the Central City Park hunt, Middle Georgians can still choose from a variety of other hunts.

New Hope International Church, 204 Sullivan Road in Fort Valley, is holding an event dubbed “E2: Easter Eggstravaganza” at 1 p.m. Saturday that features vendors, pony rides, music, games and other children’s events. The highlight, of course, will be an egg hunt with 24,000 eggs.

The hunt will be divided into age groups, and adults will have their own hunt where they can win a flat-screen TV if they find the “prize” egg.

Another event, at Lighthouse Baptist Church, 4770 Sardis Church Road in Macon, isn’t a traditional hunt. Instead, eggs will be dropped from a hot air balloon at 3 p.m. Saturday for children to collect.

Participants will be invited to walk through a display that includes scenes from the traditional Easter story. Those viewing the display can register to win a television.

Several other egg hunts are planned for Saturday. Here’s a sampling of free hunts Middle Georgians can attend:

• Pine Forest Baptist Church, 1848 Tucker Road in Macon, will have an egg hunt and “spring fling” at 10 a.m. The event will feature an adult egg toss, an egg hunt and games for children, a “junk car” to beat up and refreshments.

• St. Andrew Christian Church, 6220 Thomaston Road in Macon, is holding a free egg hunt at 10 a.m. The event will feature a hunt for children and a hot dog lunch.

• Porterfield Baptist Church, 2910 Allen Road in Macon, is holding an egg hunt at 10:30 a.m.

To contact writer Liz Bibb, call 744-4425.