The Easter bunny may be giving Santa a literal run for money at this year’s bigger-than-ever Natchez Easter egg hunt.

The annual hunt, which will take place in Duncan Park at 10 a.m. Saturday, will have more than 15,000 hidden eggs this year, some of which have been stuffed with money, said Bob Ewing, coordinator of the hunt.

Eight bicycles, 20 stuffed animals and many other prizes will also be given away, Ewing said.

“This hunt is really amazing,” he said. “I call it the eighth wonder of the world.”

“This year is going to be the biggest, as far as prizes are concerned.”

Ewing and his wife Millie began working on this year’s hunt several months ago, Ewing said.

“I work on this full-time for three months.”

The city-sponsored event grows a little more every year, with last year’s hunt having an attendance of more than 600, Ewing said.

“All of this really happens because of all the help we get,” he said.

“All of the local municipalities contribute somehow, with money or prizes.

This year, the towns of Jonesville, Jena, Fayette, Port Gibson and Ferriday, as well as the cities of Vidalia and Natchez donated money and prizes to the hunt.

Local businesses also donated to the event.

“They all do it because people from all of those places come to the hunt,” Ewing said. “It’s really a regional event.”

Helping with the hunt is its own reward, said Millie Ewing.

“It’s really exciting to be a part of,” she said. “If you can see the faces on those kids, it’s something else.”

Millie Ewing will also be giving out Easter baskets at the hunt.

“Last year I saw kids hunting for eggs with plastic sacks,” she said. “I’ll be giving these baskets away so that no one has to do that.”

The Frogmore-based couple met last year while working on the hunt together. Bob Ewing’s father, P.K. Ewing founded the hunt 44 years ago as a benefit for both of the children’s homes in Natchez, Bob Ewing said.

“All of the eggs were dyed at the Elk Club,” he said.

“These days, we use plastic eggs, and they’re stuffed by the Natchez Retirement Partnership.”

After four years, the hunt grew to be a community event, and is now open to all children in the Miss-Lou ages 1-10, Bob Ewing said.

In the past, live bunnies were given away as prizes.

“Now we just give away stuffed and wooden ones,” he said.