Helicopter drops marshmallows on delighted children

Elizabeth Park held its 33rd annual helicopter Marshmallow Drop on Friday, April 14, to the delight of dozens of laughing children.

It is a 33-year-old tradition at the park in Trenton, Michigan.

Before each Easter a helicopter drops thousands of marshmallows on dozens of children.

“We have three different drops for the marshmallows,” explained Beverly Watts, director of Wayne County Department of Public Services.

“We’ll have them (the children) divided in different age groups, so that the way younger folks are not being trampled and they have an opportunity to get the marshmallows,” she said.

The children don’t eat the treats, which fall on the ground. Instead, they turn in their marshmallows for candy and Easter sketch pads.

Just collect them, because the more you collect the more candy that you will get,” Watts told the children.

“We have plenty of candy here for you to eat, so we do not encourage you to eat the marshmallows. Just enjoy them and collect them to get your prize,” she said.

For the children, the event is nothing but fun—lots of it.

“Fun, very fun. Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun,” said 9-year-old Serenity Williams. “I get to get a whole bunch of marshmallows, a bag of ’em.”