EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) — Locals and non-locals got the chance to “shop, hop and eat all day” just in time for Easter at the East Palestine Spring Fling event.

Saturday’s fair weather made for the perfect day for the community to come out and support local businesses. Many of the businesses offered special sales.

“It’s exciting, because our town does neat things together, and you get to see all the residents,” says Cheryl Biddle, a florist.

For the last four years, the East Palestine chamber of commerce has put on the event. Locals say this year’s event was extra important.

“This is one of the ways we want to get it back to normal, keep it normal. Bring people in our town and see that it is thriving, ongoing,” says Roberta Brittain, member of the chamber of commerce.

Many people strolled though the village, enjoying the weather and walking into shops.

“The people are getting out, and there’s interchange — I think it makes it more normal,” Biddle says.

Once again, the community of East Palestine is uniting and supporting each other.

“We had a disaster, but we’re moving forward,” Brittain says.

Without the help of the community and donations, the Spring Fling wouldn’t be possible.

“We are a very small group, and it takes all of us to pull it off every year,” says Bonnie Davis, member of the East Palestine Rotary Club.

“We are so grateful to everyone that has supported us,” says Brittain.

For the kids, there was an egg hunt — and things got pretty competitive.

Hundreds lined up around the community park’s basketball courts to find the 2,000 eggs donated by Norfolk Southern.

“They love the Easter Bunny, they love Easter — it was nice to be able to have breakfast and have a nice Easter egg hunt,” says Darla McElroy, an East Palestine resident.

Community members say they look forward to this event every year.