There’s plenty of fun to be had during Easter in New York, whether you want to take the kiddos egg hunting, feast upon the best Easter brunches throughout the city or soak up the beauty of spring with a stroll through one of NYC’s best parks. Sure, most of the holiday’s festivities are kid-focused (with Easter Bunny meet-and-greets, family-friendly egg hunts and more), but Easter-themed rooftop bars and bloom-filled art shows mean that people of all ages can get in on the spirited celebrations. Here are eight great ways to celebrate Easter in NYC this weekend.
Don a bonnet and check out the parade
The annual Easter Bonnet and Parade Festival is all about the hats—lavishly decorated, from the exquisite to the outlandish. Anyone is welcome to join, just show up near St. Patrick’s Cathedral at 10am on Easter Sunday (a.k.a. April 5) to watch or saunter with the group up Fifth Avenue. The tradition dates back to the 1870s, so you might even see some participants in period costumes. But the highlight is the elaborate bonnets, some of which are truly over-the-top. Activities run until about 4pm.
Photograph: ShutterstockEaster holiday brunch
Go for a springy brunch somewhere nice
Brunch is competitive in New York City any time of year, and interest ticks up even higher on holidays. On Easter Sunday in particular, demand for mimosas, Bloody Marys, eggs Benedict and all manner of pancakes soars higher than rooftop bars. So plan ahead: these restaurants are receiving some of the best Easter brunch offerings in NYC this year.
Celebrate the season with the cherry blossom bloom
The temperatures are graciously warming up, which means the trees and flowers are finally starting to bloom, including those fan-favorite cherry blossoms. Take advantage of this weekend’s nice weather to see those delicate pink flowers with a seasonal stroll through Central Park, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and other gorgeous green spaces.
Get a photo with the Easter Bunny at Macy’s
Those looking for a little holiday magic can stop in on the ground floor of Macy’s Herald Square on Saturday, April 4 from 10am to 8pm to mix and mingle with a cast of colorful characters, including Benny, Macy’s in-house Easter Bunny, and friend Gardener Milo amid an environment conjured out of puppetry, theatrical flair and a little of that beloved Macy’s magic. (Note: Macy’s Herald Square will be closed on Easter Sunday.)
Photograph: Courtesy ShutterstockKids getting their photos taken with the Easter Bunny
Hunt for colorful eggs throughout Midtown
On Saturday, April 4, kids under 12 can visit businesses throughout the East Midtown area to hunt for Easter eggs. How it works: Each participating business will have candy-stuffed eggs for kids to look for on a first-come, first-served basis. Each location will also have one golden egg hidden, which is redeemable for an extra special prize for the hunter and their parents. To make sure kids all over the city have the chance to participate all week long, children are kindly asked to hunt one egg per location. Here’s the full list of participating businesses.
Get wowwed at the annual Orchid Show
Running through April 26, “The Orchid Show: Mr. Flower Fantastic’s Concrete Jungle” has transformed the New York Botanical Garden’s Enid A. Haupt Conservatory into a bloom-laden remix of the city itself. Imagine taxis dripping in orchids, fire hydrants flowering over and everyday street scenes electrified by thousands of plants from around the world.
Snag free chocolate Easter eggs on the Upper East Side
This Easter weekend, pop over to Chococo’s new Upper East Side chocolate shop at 1293 Third Avenue for some free treats — visitors who come between 1pm to 3pm on Saturday, April 4th or Sunday, April 5th can seek out a staff member with a Easter-themed sticker on their name tag and nail this tongue twister (“Chococo chocolatiers makes choco all day, creating sweet little moments, every day”) to unlock a complimentary limited-time chocolate egg. Supplies are limited, so act fast!
Take your Easter celebrations sky-high
The Yacht Club (from the team behind Grand Banks, Drift In and High Tide) is hosting an elevated Easter celebration in the sky at the iconic Starrett-Lehigh Building in Chelsea, pairing a classic egg hunt with sweeping Hudson River views. The event takes place Sunday, April 5, from 12–3pm; kids will enjoy an Easter egg hunt across the landscaped terrace, baskets in hand, while adults sip a complimentary glass of Champagne and take in the deck views. Tickets can be booked here.
