The Easter spirit was in full bloom yesterday outside of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan, where thousands of people promenaded in their Sunday best along Fifth Avenue. The NYC Easter Parade is a joyous annual tradition dating back to the 1870s, when it started spontaneously as churchgoers left mass. It's not a traditional parade with organized marchers, but what it lacks in floats it more than makes up for in participatory creativity and dazzling colors.
Over the years, the attire has grown increasingly inspired, with zany bonnets and marvelously over-the-top Easter-themed costumes. The bonnet couture was on point this year, with many elaborate hats showing off spectacular hand-crafted designs. The shredded paper hats—made of tissue paper, postcards, Trader Joe's bags, and other materials—were all created by an artist that carted over numerous hats to give to people.
Click through on the photos for a closer look. When New Yorkers celebrate Easter, we go all out and turn the weirdness up to 11.
