FAIR OAKS, CA (MPG) - Fair Oaks residents enthusiastically participated in the second annual Key Hunt from June 11–14, hosted by Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District (FORPD). Over the course of four days, more than 400 keys were hidden throughout the District’s 10 parks—under benches, along walkways, in tree hollows, and in various other locations. Three of those keys unlocked prizes.

The keys weren’t hidden all at once, so many participants visited the parks often, hoping to find as many keys as possible. This also gave participants a good reason to venture out from their neighborhood parks to others they might not have visited before.

FORPD Recreation Supervisor Sabrina Bernardo said the Key Hunt was started last year as a way to get people out enjoying the parks while following COVID restrictions. The District wanted to offer a way for residents to socially distance while having fun. Bernardo was out hiding the keys each day and she loved seeing people out searching: “It’s become my favorite event.”

On the evening of June 14, the event concluded with participants queued up to test their keys. The long line of cars looped around the parking lot at Fair Oaks Park, with everyone hoping one of their keys would be a winner. The prizes included a Starbucks gift card and Trader Joe’s goodie bag (donated by Trader Joe’s of Fair Oaks); a Jamba Juice gift card, FORPD swag, a Jigsaw power tool (donated by Lowe’s Home Improvement in Citrus Heights); and a two-night stay for nine guests at The Nest at Big Trees in California’s Stanislaus National Forest (donated by TheNestAtBigTrees.com). The gift cards were donated by the Fair Oaks Youth Advisory Board. Everyone who returned a key was also eligible to enter a drawing for a Mountain Mike’s gift certificate, donated by Mountain Mike’s Pizza in Fair Oaks.

Win or lose, residents all agreed that the Key Hunt was a wonderful event. One participant declared, “This was a blast.” Another said that it was a fun experience to do together as a family, and they’re “hoping this stays a tradition for a long time.”