We are all probably aware of the song “Easter Parade.” But did you know there actually is an Easter Parade in New York City? It’s not as formal a parade as the Thanksgiving or the Saint Patrick’s Day parades, but an interesting sight to see, nonetheless.

Cartoon by Rosanna Henriques

If you go to Fifth Avenue the morning of Easter Sunday (on April 12, this year), you will see many people walking up and down the avenue wearing anything from formal attire, to the latest fashion, to outlandish costumes. Some people even dress up their dogs. The city closes Fifth Avenue between 49th and 57th streets from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. that day.

The parade started as an unofficial event in the 1870s. The route includes St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Trinity Episcopal Church, and St. Thomas’s Episcopal Church. After Easter services, the well-to-do had a habit of walking along the street to show off their new Easter finery. The masses would come to see the latest fashions. People also would visit the other churches to see the impressive floral displays. At that time, the custom received much criticism for the secularization of a religious holiday and the promotion of materialism. That faded, and over the years it has become a tradition not only in New York, but other cities around the country as well.

Today, it has become almost a satire of the original purpose of showing off haute couture. Now people come up with the most exaggerated outfits, especially large hats. Some have been known to include live birds.
The Easter Parade was the inspiration for the 1948 movie by the same name. The self-titled song was written by Irving Berlin. The movie starred Fred Astaire and Judy Garland as a dance team. He vows to make her a star in time for the Easter Parade.