Easter in NYC is welcomed in a myriad of ways: Some of us attend church gatherings for familiar faces coupled with relaxing spiritual music, some participate in big egg hunts around the city to ignite their adventurous side, and the rest stock up on chocolate eggs as well as festive bonnets and/or flower bouquets. We’ve been seeing warm weather and sunnier skies this week, meaning Spring and Easter will coincide once again. After all, it’s simply blasphemous to welcome a colorful holiday with a gloomy winter! Regardless of the weather and your traditions, take a look at 6 Easter activities in NYC you and your family/friends can enjoy.

Photo: “Easter Kid” by Antonin Rémond is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival – Sunday, March 27th

Starting 10 a.m. till 4 p.m., watch people parade along 5th avenue from 49th to 57th Street in creative Easter bonnets (some as big as the New York Skyline), matched with outfits ranging from elegant to outrageous. The famous festival began in the mid-1800s, when upper-class ladies would stroll in their extravagant Easter outfits after church service. Since then, it’s become less of a parade and more of a vibrant neighborhood party.

Prepare to be overwhelmed with creativity, as several people will ‘push the envelope’ with their fashion styles. Bring your bonnet and march along; you’ll realize afterwards why Easter Sunday is truly Sunday Best. If you’re just an observer, you’ll have the best view from St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Easter Services at St. Patrick’s Cathedral

If you’re attending the parade and enjoy church services, stop by St. Patrick’s Cathedral. After all, it’s the church with the biggest audience and numerous Easter Masses and Holy Week Services, including 8 on Easter Sunday. Only the 10:15 a.m. Mass requires tickets, but everyone is welcome to the others. A lot of history and beauty lies in this holy sanctuary, so don’t miss out on it.

Easter Egg Scavenger Hunts

You’re never too old to embrace your inner detective and embark on a scavenger hunt. The high number of ‘hunters’ in NYC makes the challenge even more exciting. We definitely recommend any of the following egg hunts if you like solving clues and know your way around Manhattan (or Google Maps).

POGO Events’ Amazing Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt will be held on Sunday, March 27 at Slattery’s Midtown Pub from 2 p.m.- 5 p.m. Assemble your team and book your tickets quickly for a mere $25. You can choose between 2 options: Adults-only and Family-friendly. Winners will receive tickets to Quiet Clubbing, Shake Rattle & Roll and other local activities. Don’t be discouraged if your peers or family members aren’t interested, since individual participants will be assigned a team.

Searching for something more suitable for children? The 9th Annual Egg Hunt at Carl Schurz Park is a top choice. Enter the park at East 87th and East End Avenue to prepare for a continuous wave of egg hunts running 1:10 p.m. until 2:45 p.m. on Saturday, March 19th. Your kids will meet the Carl Schurz Bunny in the Upper East Side, and be entertained by the tunes of East Side West Side Music Together while waiting in line. Goodies include an egg collection bag and glitter cheek, or hand stamp.

Another child-friendly activity would be the Annual Egg Hunt by Think ‘N’ Fun (TNF), which is happening on Saturday, March 26th (the day before Easter Sunday) at Riverside Park. Choose one of the four Hunt Waves, and take advantage of the $21 ticket price before it increases to $25 after March 12th. Every participant will receive a special TNF basket for egg collecting, a photo session with the Easter bunny, snacks and beverages, and a hand/cheek painting stamp with a cute accessory. Happy hunting! May the odds forever be in your favor.

Easter Eggstravaganza Children’s Workshop

For children between 4 to 8 years old, The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine will be hosting its popular annual children’s workshop on egg decorating on March 19th! Kids can create vibrant patterns on eggs and build a nest for them on the 10 A.M. or 2 P.M. session. This is an amusing learning opportunity and allows for some one-on-one bonding. Remember to bring two hard-boiled eggs per child. 1 ticket costs only $10, but we highly recommend you purchase in advance online or by calling (866) 811-4111.

Which activity suits you best? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

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New Yorkers celebrate Easter weekend in all sorts of different ways, from the spiritual (area churches really ramp up their musical offerings on Sunday), to the sweet (chocolate bunnies! microwaved peeps!), to the floral (bouquets and bonnets galore) to the not-at-all ("thanks for the day off what's it for again?"). One thing we all can agree on, however: here's hoping the day, and the weekend, is actually springlike and WARM! Anyway, no matter what the weather or your inclinations/family traditions, if you're looking for something to do, for you or your crew, here are a few suggestions.    

Photo by Michael Rutkowski

The Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival, Sunday April 3

Less an actual parade and more an gloriously colorful block party, Fifth Avenue's long-standing (since the 1870s!) Easter Bonnet Pageant runs from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., from 49th to 57th Street, and thousands of folks show up every year in beautiful, elaborate hats–the crazier the better–and springy outfits to match. No need to register, just get decked out, join the festivities, take a million pictures, go home. A personal favorite; great low-key fun.

Photo by Dave Bledsoe

Egg Hunts on the Upper East and Upper West Sides

The Upper East Side's best public egg hunt, in Carl Schurz Park, is happening this Saturday, March 28, with collection-bag decorating starting at 11:00 near Gracie Mansion, and then four rounds of mayhem…er… hunting for goodies, divided by age. Photo-ops with the "Carl Schurz Bunny" and live music round out the spring-time fun. 

On the Upper West Side, on Saturday April 4, choose from either the Fourth Universalist Society Central Park hunt (also divided into four age groups, from 12:45 to 3:00; exact location given once you register, here); or the annual Children's Museum of Manhattan affair, which asks kids to find Easter egg "icons" hidden throughout the museum's exhibitions, record their findings in a special scavenger hunt booklet, and turn it in upon completion for a prize. The CMOM fun runs from 10:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. 
 

Full Bunny Contact, April 1 to April 5 

Finally, and definitely not for everyone (though clearly this was a hit last year, as they're back again for more), there's Full Bunny Contact. Taking place over the long weekend on the Lower East Side, this self-proclaimed INSANE Easter Carnival features such as diversions Shoot the Peep (with a paintball gun), Temper Tantrum Contests, an Insult Bunny, and, the headliner event, FBC: The Game, in which you enter a caged-in field and have 40 seconds to grab as many eggs as you can, while three large bunnies doing their best to stop you. "They can block [the eggs], move them, kick them, grab them from your hand and swat them out of your basket." Again: your call on this one. 

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