Have you ever seen the extravagance of a New York City festival up close? New Yorkers know how to do it big, which is seen in all its glory during the annual Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival. Witness everything from adorable children adorned in frills, to other people\u2019s \u201cEaster\u201d interpretations, including snakes and live rabbits as they take to the street in harmony. Thousands line the route to get a good look at the display that goes on for hours and embodies the spirit of happiness from the ancient holiday.<\/p>\n
Beginning in the 1880s, New York City was the standard for Easter celebrations, outshining all the rest of the country with its fanfare and complex traditions. Rooted in churches seeking to outdo each other with intricate Easter altars and decorated sanctuaries, the parade then blossomed from these ideas and began to also represent fashion and fun. It continued to gain speed with the \u201cEaster Parade\u201d song released in the 1930s, which subsequently spawned a film of the same name in 1948, featuring stars Judy Garland and Fred Astaire. A timeless tradition was solidified into the wonderful holiday for good. Not many events in the U.S. can brag about similar longevity as the Easter Parade can, so it\u2019s well worth being a part of something so ingrained in the culture.<\/p>\n\n\t\t