Easter Bonnet Festival brings color and creativity to Fifth Avenue
NEW YORK -- It's an Easter Sunday tradition.
Thousands gathered along Fifth Avenue to participate in the famous Easter Bonnet Festival.
As CBS2 found out, some people spent months preparing their designs.
It was bright, bold and beautiful everywhere you looked.
"It took a while to put together because the flowers take a while to unfold," said Caroline Volel of Westchester County.
"I am a Southern belle and Easter Sunday is usually a big deal. You see a lot of big hats, everyone dressed up in heels," added Shani Gillespie of Jamaica, Queens.
"I have people handing me their children, 6-month-old babies, and holding them to take a picture with me and their kids," another person said.
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Thousands of costumed celebrants parading along Fifth Avenue, as locals and tourists stop to capture the magic.
"Like a mother-daughter adventure. It's a beautiful parade. I love the bonnets and the creativity," said Rebecca Rembert of South Ozone Park, Queens.
Inspired by bunnies, butterflies and flowers, people and their furry friends showed off their Sunday Easter best.
"I'm here with chihuahua nation and we dress up our dogs and have a whole lot of fun," said Aimee Henkell of East Rockaway.
"I made the headpiece and the peacock tail. I am a fashion and costume designer," added Veritee Hill of the Upper East Side.
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The festival is a New York City tradition that dates back to the 1870s. Some people put days of work into their costumes to stand out in a sea of creativity.
Some have been attending for years.
"It took me 30 hours to do my headpiece. This is my 10th Easter parade," an Upper West Side resident named Patricia said.
"The first Easter I came with Patricia dressed neatly, and we came to photographers and I would put my arm around her and they would all say, 'No, no move to the side,' so I learned quickly that I had to up my game, which I think I have done this year," a man named Howard said.
For others, Sunday marked the first time the attended.
"Never thought I would wear a pink suit anywhere, but I wanted it. This is the perfect place to use it," said Lonnie West of Washington D.C.
Some said they spent hours at a time creating a memorable work of art. When asked why, they said the answer is easy.
"We get to be celebrities for the day," said Madison Markham of the Upper East Side.
