MIDTOWN, Manhattan (PIX11) — Get ready to don your Sunday best for this year’s annual Easter parade and bonnet festival in New York City.
The annual celebration in the heart of Midtown welcomes New Yorkers to put on their biggest, brightest hats for a colorful march down Fifth Avenue to mark Easter.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 31: People wear costumes and custom bonnets at the 2024 Easter Bonnet Parade on March 31, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images)
The parade and festival are free and open for all to join, with attendees only asked to come in their boldest and wackiest hats.
New York City’s Easter tradition dates back to the 1870s and was immortalized by Irving Berlin, a songwriter whose music helped compose a large part of the Great American Songbook.
Below is everything you need to know about the Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival.
When is the Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival?
The festival and parade runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Easter Sunday.
Where is the parade and festival?
The festivities will kick off on Fifth Avenue and 49th Street near St. Patrick’s Cathedral and make its way up to 57th Street.
How much does it cost to enter?
Entry to join or watch the event is free for all to enjoy.
Are there street closures?
Streets will be closed in the area at the discretion of the NYPD for Easter Sunday Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. For a full list of street closures, click here.
Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.