Watch kids scramble as helicopter drops Easter Eggs at Tri-Cities event

Thousands of children spread across a field at Middleton Farms on Saturday, waiting for the signal. Moments later, a helicopter passed overhead and released thousands of brightly colored Easter eggs, kicking off one of the region’s largest holiday hunts.

The Middleton Farms Easter Egg Helicopter Drop, part of the farm’s annual Spring Tulip Festival, brought large crowds to the farm just northeast of Pasco. Organizers dropped 5,000 eggs from the helicopter during each event, with another 20,000 eggs placed across the field, giving children plenty to find.

Two drops were held Saturday at noon and 5 p.m., with a third scheduled for Easter Sunday. Each session is expected to draw about 4,000 participants, for a total of roughly 12,000 people. The event sold out across all three time slots.

Children from newborn to age 12 spread out across the field to collect eggs, then exchanged them for candy, small toys, and a souvenir egg bag. Each child also received a voucher for a free children’s meal from Texas Roadhouse.

Scott Middleton, co-owner of Middleton Farms, said the turnout exceeded expectations.

“This is our first year doing Easter,” Middleton said. “We talked to friends around the country who host egg hunts and decided to try it as another fun community event. We didn’t think we would sell out three different drops.”

Tickets for the first event sold quickly, prompting organizers to add a second Saturday session and then a third on Easter Sunday, both of which also sold out within days.

“This has been an amazing response from the community,” Middleton said.

The Easter event is part of the farm’s broader spring season. The Tulip Festival will continue through mid-May, with peak bloom expected in about two weeks. The farm features 42 blocks of tulips in a range of varieties, along with a gift shop, farmers market, tractor rides, and children’s activities.

Following the tulip season, Middleton Farms will host a strawberry festival in early summer and a harvest and pumpkin festival in the fall.