Photos: Fifth Avenue Easter Parade 2010

Sublime weather welcomed thousands of festively attired promenaders for the Fifth Avenue Easter Parade yesterday. The annual event isn't a parade in the conventional sense—no floats or marching bands—but it's arguably more enjoyable. Instead of massive, dangerous balloons marauding down the avenue, the space is taken over by the people, many of whom come dressed in spectacular costumes and monumental bonnets. According to Midmanhattan.com, the tradition dates back to the middle of the 19th century, "when the social elite would attend services at one of the 5th Avenue churches and parade their new fashions down the Avenue afterwards."

This year the elaborately costumed celebrants were joined by a handful of outraged protesters, who gathered outside St. Patrick's Cathedral with signs such as "Preaching Intolerance One Fondle at a Time" and "Take Back the Church. Fire the Pope." According to the Post, Archbishop Timothy Dolan, who delivered his first Easter Mass in NYC, declined to discuss the sex scandal engulfing the Catholic Church, insisting the issue was "part of the gloom and the death of Good Friday." For more, check out Katie Sokoler's photos from last year.

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By John Del Signore in Arts & Entertainment on April 5, 2010 11:00 AM

Comments [rss]

NannyState

I'm just surprised that all those flowers didn't attract wasps.

robingee

The lady with the 20 lb hat was in the 5th photo.

Graceportia

robingee--thanks for the clarification about the 20lb hat in the fifth photo...she wears that hat each year.

Graceportia

Hi--I am the woman in the photo with her Yorkie, Portia. We had a wonderful time at the Parade, posing for pics with children, older folks, people in wheelchairs...Portia put a smile on everyone's face who saw her! My hat, which I decorated, was not as heavy as it looked, although after a few hours of bending for photos, I could feel the weight, but my neck (not visible in the photo, haha) is just fine. Portia is quite comfortable dressing up and is quite the diva (I have another Yorkie, little Rosie, who is not as keen and consequently stayed comfortably at home). Incidentally, my Yorkies are in full coat, and brushing and grooming them is a labor of love...and, not a problem with eating or drinking, as one poster mentioned. Thanks, Grace

nicemarmot

Good lord, that woman has let her Yorkie's face fur get so long. That's just mean, think of what happens everytime the little guy takes a drink of water...