Easter Parade brings out fun, fanciful hats in New York City

NEW YORK – If it’s Easter Sunday, there must be hats.

The annual Easter Parade turned Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue into a spectacle.

Some people wore elaborate, outlandish hats with flowers and feathers. Others made it a whole look, adding clothes and costumes. And of course, there were pets in festive wear as well.

The event, more of a promenade than a parade, is a take on a New York City tradition that dates to the late 1800s. In those days, the city’s richer residents would wear their best clothes and walk along after attending church services.

Judy Garland and Fred Astaire made the procession well-known in the movie, “Easter Parade.”

Other events marking the day included the Easter Bunny joining skaters at the rink at Rockefeller Center.