[Leggi in italiano 🇮🇹]
Original posted in 2010 – Updated it 2024
How to celebrate Easter in NYC?
As a child, I used to spend the entire day with my enlarged Italian family at my Grandma’s house, in Marina di Carrara (Tuscany). Three generations of women would get together the week before to cook for everyone… like if they were going to provide food for an army 🤣 Well, I don’t recall of any leftover!
Since I moved to NYC (in 2007), I’ve been enjoying strolling on Fifth Avenue for the Easter Bonnet Parade: it just fills my heart!
New Yorkers will always find a way to dress up and free their creativity!!! I LOVE IT!!!
The Easter Bonnet Parade tradition traces back to 1870 circa. Mass goers would dress up to carry flowers from St. Thomas’ Church to St. Luke Church, and they would wear the most beautiful bonnets.
Watch Easter Parade with Judy Garland and Fred Astaire, directed by Irving Berlin, to see some back in the day Ester scenes from NYC .
Each Easter Day, Fifth avenue closes to traffic from 49th to 57th Streets to allow New Yorkers parading with their gorgeous Easter Bonnets.
You can attend St. Patrick’s Cathedral mass at 7am, 8am, 8:45am, 12pm, 1pm, 4pm (in Spanish) and at 5:30pm, while you can attend 10am mass, the most popular one, only if you participated to the Easter Mass lottery (hosted on the St. Patrick’s Cathedral’s website) and you won your ticket.
Years ago, together with my “Kangoo” friends, we all dresses up as bunnies and bounced around the parade… we ended up on so many local newspaper!!! So fun! 🤣
When is the Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival?
From 10am to approximately 4pm on Easter Sunday. This year, Easter is on March 31, 2024. Make sure to wear a gorgeous bonnet!!!
Where is the Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival?
On Fifth Avenue, between 49th Street and 57th Street. For the best views, even if it will be a little more crowded, head to St. Patrick’s Cathedral (Fifth Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets)
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