Yesterday was Easter which means many things to many people. To me it means the chance to attend one of my very favorite events all year– the NYC Easter Bonnet Parade! Why do I love this event so much? Don’t worry, I won’t just tell you, I’ll show you. I needn’t remind you that ol’ cliché: A picture’s worth a thousand words. At this event, wager their worth even more:

1. The ratio of Fabulous to Not Fabulous at the 2016 NYC Easter Bonnet Parade is approximately 100:1

2. Everyone wears their love of spring not only on their sleeve pouring out their ears.

3. The coat porn is out of control.

4. Oh yeah, ALSO adorable dogs!

In hats!

5. Every where you look, creativity is literally popping out of parade goers heads.

 

6. You never need to tell anyone to smile for a picture.

It’s hard to find a face without a smile stretched across it on Easter Parade Sunday.

7. Where else can you find grown men wearing cotton ball sheep on their heads, look down right handsome?

8. Because this parade is where I set all my #RelationshipGoals.

9. Clever puns are embraced.

Not just lumbersexuals but Lumberjack-RABBITS!

10. I’ll see #4’s “adorable dogs” and raise it: adorable bunnies!

This bunny is named is Elizabeth Taylor. Of course she loves 5th Avenue!

11. The backdrop of the NYC Easter Parade is the beautiful St. Patrick’s Cathedral on 5th Avenue.

 

12. Many of the “bonnets” are true works of art.

13. Some are so detailed it’s hard to capture their full brilliance on camera.

A full Easter carnival with a ducky carousel, a chick ferris wheel, a bunny balloon ride, and a non-pictured roller coaster! Amazing. Click the image if you want to zoom in, the details are worth it.

14. The atmosphere is completely non-competitive. There’s no contest here, no “Best Bonnet” of the parade, no one hoping for a cash prize.

Everyone makes their hat simply for the joy of creating one (well, and maybe for the opportunity to be featured in the many news outlets that cover the event).

15. It is such a New York City event.

It’s on 5th Avenue. It embraces art and creativity. It’s by the people, for the people, and has been since it’s start over a century ago! It’s crowded as hell but everyone is friendly and no one feels like a stranger. It’s that feeling of New Yorker camaraderie that most often comes after some disaster but more pure and simply happy.

16. All participants are welcome.

The people with amazingly crafted hats don’t look down on the ones with simple ones. I made a very, very simple “Big Apple” bonnet by sewing a leaf and stem onto a little red hat of mine. I was amazed by how many people complemented my simple hat! Even the legit milliner of these master pieces:

17. This bunny tribute to David Bowie might not have happened otherwise and it is beautiful and perfect.

I recognized these 3 from last year! Of course I did because the creator, the woman on the left, make such memorable creations!

18. Even the selfies at this parade transcend the typical “obnoxious” and are amazing.

19. No mustache will ever be as wonderful as this one.

Those are flower buds on the waxed tips of his mustache! I’m dying! So fabulous! Her Alice and Wonderland hat is wonderful too.

20. A little bird (twitter) told me my favorite Instagram-friend friend would be there.

And yep, here he is snapping an actually bird! His picture is much better than mine- find it on twitter and check out @istillheartnewyork on Instagram for beautiful pictures of this and other NYC events (haha! Exactly while I was writing this he posted a picture of me! Thanks Joe!)

21. Peeps are allowed to evolve from the bottom of the food chain to the top of decorative adornment.

22. There’s no where else I could be this crowded in by people and still enjoy every minute of it.

23. There are no drunk douchebags or trouble makers at this parade!

That guy is using his flamingo to hold a legit water bottle, not one full of vodka. This parade is good old fashioned family fun. Speaking of-

24. The kids are the cutest.

They make me remember how magical Easter was when I was a kid.

And that even though I really don’t celebrate it now, I really should call my parents to wish them a Happy Easter.

Hope you all had an amazing weekend whether you celebrate Easter or not. Whether you like to dress up like spring incarnate or not. It certainly is feeling like spring!

I leave you with this-

25. Where else would this scene happen? It’s the perfect captures the New York Cliché reason I love this city!

If you can’t get enough bonnets, check out my posts of the parade from years past: 2013, 2014, 2015