The hoppy New Yorker, in the city’s annual Easter parade style, flooded Fifth Avenue on Sunday with a flood of colorful bonnets and wild costumes.
The ten block stretch from East 47th Avenue to East 57th Avenue was packed as marchers, wrapped in elaborate outfits, passed the crowds of onlookers.
“We stand and take photos for about four to five hours,” the Brooklyn man said.
“We haven’t done it that far. It took us two hours to go down the block and get here,” Reveler said. “We’re doing great things. We’re overwhelmed by the reaction, but we love the happiness this creates for everyone.”
Nearby was Henrietta Scholzova, a Slovak scientist from New York University, who wore an elaborate homemade peacock ensemble.
“It took me a few weeks to make it, but I had been gathering my wings for years, and I finally decided that it was enough,” she said.
“I’ve been living in New York for 20 years now and have been involved in Easter and Halloween parades,” Scholzova said. “I feel this is more creative than Halloween! I really like it.”
The parade has been an urban fixture since the 1870s, drawing its roots from the golden age women dressed in their guardian outfits for Easter Sunday.
Other outfits on display this year include a full-body fuzzy Easter bunny suit, a wider hat than an umbrella, a glittering interpretation of the Statue of Liberty, a winged angel and a flower-like helmet.
Most were homemade and took the wearer hours, days or weeks.
“It took about 12 hours to make it,” said Barry Brown, 53. Barry Brown stacked up Alice, who was based on Wenkerland, who had built hookah hoses into caterpillars.
Evelyn Melissen, 55, wore a huge spring-themed hat covered in mushrooms, lace and flowers.
“It took about a week to get the hat. You have to make cardboard and paper machees and paint. And it’s dry, dry, dry, dry,” she said.
“I live here. I’m one of the weirdos who comes out and dress up every year for the Easter parade.”
