Young treasure hunters in two Michigan communities experienced an unusual weather forecast Friday — clear skies with a shower of marshmallows falling from above.
Wayne County Parks organized their yearly helicopter marshmallow event, staging the popular activity at locations in Trenton and Westland, Michigan, with a two-hour gap between drops.
“It was great. The weather is beautiful, and I think this is a great thing to do with all the kids to start off Easter and the weekend, so yeah, I think it’s wonderful,” commented Anna Grote (GROH’-tee), a Westland local who brought her boyfriend and his 10-year-old son to watch the spectacle.
At both venues, hundreds of youngsters erupted in excitement as the aircraft approached the designated drop area. A crew member aboard the helicopter emptied bags of the sweet treats onto the grass below during three separate flyovers, with each round targeting different age brackets.
Inkster resident David Alexander brought his children, ages 7 and 10, to the Westland event and motivated them with competitive spirit.
“Ready, set, go. Be the first one, take off,” he told them, urging his kids “to be the first ones at the line.”
Event organizers made clear that while the marshmallows looked appetizing, they shouldn’t be consumed after hitting the ground. Children traded their collected treats for actual prizes instead.
While some youngsters managed to scoop up multiple marshmallows, their parents graciously returned extras to the field so other children could participate.
“Everybody was nice. There wasn’t any pushing, there wasn’t any shoving, no fighting,” Alexander observed, noting this was his family’s first time at the event.
Grote mentioned that her boyfriend’s son “did not have any difficulty at all” in securing a marshmallow.
“The thrill of the hunt, right,” she said with a laugh.
