Easter Parade, Events & Services in NYC & Boros

There are Two Easters Observed in Christianity - Easter for Western Christians and Easter for Orthodox Christians

March 29, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Very Brief Introduction to Christian Easter Traditions

Christians observe Good Friday, which is when the Bible tells us that Jesus died on the cross. On the Sunday following Good Friday, Christians celebrate the Biblical account of Jesus rising from the dead, which is Easter.

Emperor Constantine became the Roman Emperor in 306. In 324 Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.

In 1054, the Great Schism occurred, wherein Christianity split into two different sects - Roman Catholic Christians [primarily in Western Europe] and Orthodox Christians [primarily in Eastern Europe]. The traditions have much in common, but one of the differences is in how they calculate the time of Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

The Western European Christians [Protestants and Catholics] use the Gregorian Calendar to calculate when to celebrate Good Friday and Easter. The Gregorian calendar was created in the 16th century and made the official calendar by Pope Gregory. Orthodox Christians use the Julian Calendar, which was made law in the Roman Empire in 45 B.C. by Julius Caesar. The primary difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars is that the Gregorian calendar uses Leap Year [this year is one of them] to adjust the calendar for the 1/4 extra day per year, that to our rotation around the sun requires. Thus the calendar differences, and how the date of Easter is calculated, is why the Orthodox and Roman Catholic / Protestant Christian Easters oftentimes occur on different dates.

This year [2024] the celebrations of the two traditions are separated by five weeks, with the Western European Christians celebrating next weekend and the Orthodox Christians celebrating a week later.

Next Up - The History of the Easter Bunny & Related Traditions

• CLICK here to view our report on Easter parades, Easter events, Easter egg hunts and Easter brunches in NYC, including the boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx & Staten Island. We start off with a brief history of the Easter Bunny and the origin of related traditions.

Easter Parade, Events & Services in NYC & Boros

There are Two Easters Observed in Christianity - Easter for Western Christians and Easter for Orthodox Christians

March 29, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC. Continued.

The Origin of Easter Bunny & Related Traditions

The origin of the Easter Bunny and the related traditions of painting and hiding eggs dates back to southern Germany in ancient times. Eggs were a sign of fertility, and according to some accounts, the Easter hare originated as a bird before becoming the rabbit. The rabbit is also known as a fertile animal giving birth to litters of little rabbits.

The tradition arrived in America in Pennsylvania in the 1700's. From there it evolved into the whole slew of grand traditions it has become today, which in NYC include an Easter parade of fashion on Easter day in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral on 5th Avenue, numerous Easter Egg hunts in parks and other places in all five boroughs, as well as numerous Easter Brunches organized by numerous restaurants around the city.

What follows are a selection of many of the Easter events occurring in NYC in the coming weeks. These include a few Orthodox Easter events which occur in early May [the 5th, 2024]. We have also included a few non-Easter events we believed are timed to take advantage of folks looking to use their liesure time in non-traditional Easter ways. Have a Happy Easter.

ONLY ASTERISKED EVENTS HAVE BEEN UPDATED. WATCH DATES / YEARS.

Manhattan Easter Parade & Easter Events & Egg Hunts NYC

* Sunday, March 24 - April 7, 2024 - The Macy's Flower Show at Macy's Herald Square in Midtown. Macy's is open from 10 am - 9 pm weekdays, open until 10 pm Fridays & Saturdays and opens at 11 am on Sundays. For details see - https://www.macys.com

* Sunday, March 24, 2024 from 11 am to 1 pm - Holi at the South St Seaport - at 12 Fulton Street [at Pearl] in the Downtown neighborhood of Manhattan. An Indian festival celebrating Spring where folks put colorful powders on each other in a sign of affection or recognition. Free. For details and to purchase powder from the organizer copy & paste - https://theculturetree.com

* Friday, March 29 - Sunday, April 7, 2024 from 10 am - 10 pm, except Sundays when it closes at 7 pm, the International Auto Show will be at the Javits Center in West Midtown Manhattan. Admission is $22 adults [age 13+ ] / $8 kids [ages 3 - 12] tickets / kids 2 and under are free. For details & tickets see - https://www.autoshowny.com/ or https://javitscenter.com/

* Saturday, March 30, 2024 from 10 am - 3 pm - Governors Island Egg Hunt - on Governors Island. This is the 2nd Annual Governors Island Easter egg hunt, with 50,000 candy-filled eggs spread around Governors Island. Begins at Colonel's Row. For details and to rsvp, copy & paste - https://www.govisland.com/things-to-do/events/governors-island-egg-hunt

* Saturday, March 30, 2024 from 11 am - 4.30 pm & 11 am - 2 pm - Spring Flower Scavenger Hunt & Easter Hunt & Cookie Decorating at the South Street Seaport. This series of events are organized by the Seaport Business District in tandem with participating businesses. Both events begin at 11 am, with the Easter Egg Hunt & Crafts ending at 2 pm in Seaport Square between Pier 16 & 17 [also Rooftop]- free & ticketed with rsvp. From 11 am - 4.30 pm there's a flower hunt aboard the 1885 tall ship Wavertree. Free but must rsvp as there's limited space. There are also numerous restaurants serving brunch and dinner, a few of which offer East River waterfront views. For details and to rsvp copy & paste - https://theseaport.nyc/neighborhood-events/

* Sunday, March 31, 2024 from 10 am - 3 / 4 pm - Easter & Easter Bonnet Parade. The parade takes place along 5th Avenue from 49th to 57th Streets. It's more of a milling about in bonnets and Easter outfits, than it is a real parade. More like a themed costume party.

* Sunday, March 31, 2024 at various times - Easter Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral. For details, copy & paste - https://www.saintpatrickscathedral.org

CLICK here to view Manhattan street fairs and festivals NYC 2024.

* April 16, 2024 beginning at 8 pm - International Music Festival - at Carnegie Hall at 881 7th Avenue in Manhattan. For details and $23 tickets, copy & paste - https://www.carnegiehall.org.

* I DON'T YET SEE AN UPDATE FOR 2024 _ Friday, April 7th - October 9th, 2023 from 7 am to 9 pm daily, Pickleball Courts are open at Wollman Rink on the southwest corner of Central Park. For details and tickets that cost $5 and up, see - https://wollmanrinknyc.com.

Orthodox Easter is May 5, 2024 - We'll Update & Add to this Leading up to then

Friday, April 14, 2023 beginning at 7 pm a Greek Orthodox Church Trisagion Service commemorating Holy Friday and the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ with the carrying of the epitaphios through the streets of Gramercy Park in a candlelit procession. The religious and cultural event includes a procession from the Church of St. John around several nearby blocks, before returning to the church. St. John is located at 148 East 17th Street at 3rd Avenue in the Gramercy Park neighborhood of Manhattan. For more details, including of Greek Orthodox Easter Sunday mass see - https://www.stjohn.ny.goarch.org/

Brooklyn Easter Parade & Easter Events & Egg Hunts NYC

* Saturday, March 23, 2024 from 2 to 5 pm - Bunny Brunch - at St. Anselm Bay Ridge Catholic Academy in Meletia Hall at 365 83rd Street in Bay Ridge. For $15 rsvps and details, copy & paste - https://stanselmbayridge.org.

* Saturday, March 30, 2024 from 10 am - 3 pm - Governors Island Egg Hunt - on Governors Island. This is the 2nd Annual Governors Island Easter egg hunt, with 50,000 candy-filled eggs spread around Governors Island. Begins at Colonel's Row. The event is free, but you're advised to plan in advance as this event is very popular. To give you an idea of how popular, consider that 50,000 candy filled eggs are hidden over the 120 acres of park. For details and ferry passage planning & ticket purchases [$4 / ride], copy & paste - https://www.govisland.com/things-to-do/events/governors-island-egg-hunt

* Sunday, March 31, 2024 from 11 am to 3 pm - Easter Brunch - at Dyker Beach Golf Course at in Dyker Heights. Easter Bunny, egg hunt and entertainment with brunch. For $70 / $40 tickets and details copy & paste - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dykerbeachgcevents/ or WS - https://www.dykerbeachgc.com

* Saturdays & Sundays [and a few select weekdays], March 23 - April 14, 2024 from 11 am to 8 pm - Luna Park is open in Coney Island. On Friday, April 19, 2024 the park opens daily from 11 am to 8 pm. For details and tickets see - https://lunaparknyc.com.

* Friday, Saturdays, Sundays & a Monday, March 24, 29 & 30 and April 1 & 6, 7, 2024 from 11 am to 5 pm - Green Meadows Farm Easter Egg Hunt 2024 - at the Aviator Sports Center at 3159 Flatbush Avenue in the Marine Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. For details copy & paste - https://greenmeadowsfarmbrooklyn.com. $15. The Saturday 3/24/24 event was cancelled due to inclement weather forecast.

Click here to view Brooklyn street fairs NYC 2024.

OLD / NOTE DATES / YEARS

Orthodox Easter is May 5, 2024 - We'll Update & Add to this Leading up to then

BROOKLYN Easter Brunches. Sunday, April 9, 2023 - The Wicked Monk in Bay Ridge is offering Easter Brunch Specials.

BROOKLYN Easter Egg Hunts & Events. Saturday & Sunday, April 1 & 2, 2023 - there were several Easter Egg / Easter Bunny events including at Pierrepont Playground in Brooklyn Heights, Crossroads Christian Church in Bay Ridge and Trinity Grace Church in Prospect Park.

Friday, April 14, 2023 begins at 10.30 am with the decoration of the epitaphios, followed by the unnailing service at 2.30 pm, and at 7 pm the Lamentation and carrying of the epitaphios around the neighborhood of the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church at 8401 Ridge Blvd in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. For details see - https://www.holycrossbrooklyn.com/.

On Friday April 7, 2023, the Brooklyn Cyclones baseball team hosts the Jersey Shore Blue Claws in their Home Opener beginning at 1 pm at Maimonides Park in Brooklyn. The game is part of a three game weekend series, with the starting times on Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm. For details and $18 tickets see - https://www.milb.com.

• On Saturday, April 8, 2023 from 10 am - 4 pm - there's an Easter Egg Hunt & Many other Activities on Governor's Island. The event is free, but you're advised to plan in advance as this event is very popular. To give you an idea of how popular, consider that 10,000 wooden eggs are hidden over the 120 acres of park. For details and ferry passage planning & ticket purchases [$4 / ride] see - https://www.govisland.com
  • BROOKLYN Easter Egg Hunts. Saturday, April 8, 2023 from 10 am - 4 pm - there's an Easter Egg Hunt & Many other Activities on Governor's Island. The event is free, but you're advised to plan in advance as this event is very popular. To give you an idea of how popular, consider that 10,000 wooden eggs are hidden over the 120 acres of park. For details and ferry passage planning & ticket purchases [$4 / ride] see - https://www.govisland.com

Queens Easter Parade & Easter Events & Egg Hunts NYC

* Saturdays, March 23 & 30, 2024 from 11 am to 4 pm - Barnyard Egg Hunt - at the Queens County Farm Museum at 73-50 Little Neck Parkway in Floral Park Queens. For $15 tickets and details, copy & paste - https://www.queensfarm.org/

* Friday, Saturday, Sundays & Monday, March 29, 30 & 31 & April 1, 6, 7, 2024 from 11 am to 5 pm - Green Meadows Farm Queens Easter Egg Hunt 2024 - at Alley Pont at x Union Turnpike in the Oakland Gardens neighborhood of Queens. For details copy & paste - https://greenmeadowsfarmny.com/upcoming-events/. $14.

* Saturday, March 30, 2024 from 10 am to 12 noon - Queens Easter Festival - in Gantry Plaza State Park at Center Blvd and [4-44] 47th Rd in LIC Queens. Free. For details copy & paste - http://www.queenseasterfestival.com/lic.

* Sunday, March 31, 2024 beginning at 4.30 pm - Easter Dinner at Russo's on the Bay - at 162-45 Cross Bay Blvd in Howard Beach in Queens. To rsvp and details, copy & paste - https://www.russosonthebay.com.

Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.

Orthodox Easter is May 5, 2024 - We'll Update & Add to this Leading up to then

Friday, April 14, 2023 beginning at 7 pm a Greek Orthodox Church Lamentation Service commemorating Holy Friday and the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ with the carrying of the epitaphios through the streets of Astoria in a candlelit procession. The religious and cultural event includes a procession from the St. Demetrios Cathedral in Astoria around several nearby blocks before returning to the church. In past year, several of the Astoria Greek Orthodox churches held their own Holy Friday celebrations and processions, but as of this posting [4.2.23], only St. Demetrios has posted any specifics for 2023. The other two churches which I have reported on in the past include St Irene Chrysovalantou and St Markella. For more details see - https://www.saintdemetriosastoria.com/church/ https://www.stirene.org / https://www.saintmarkellagoc.org

Bronx Easter Parade & Easter Events & Egg Hunts NYC

* Sunday, March 31, 2024 - Easter Brunch & Egg Hunt at Pelham Bay Split Rock Golf Course, with two seatings: 11 am - 1 pm with Egg Hunt beginning at 1 pm; and second seating from 1.30 - 3.30 with the Egg Hunt beginning at 3.30 pm. For $67 and $33 tickets [tax and service included] copy & paste - https://www.pelhamsplitrock.com or FB - https://www.facebook.com/pelhamsplitrock

* Thru April 23, 2024 [began February 19th], the Orchid Show is on display at the NY Botanical Garden at 2900 Southern Blvd in the Bedford Park neighborhood of the Bronx. For details and $35 / $31 / $15 / free tickets see - https://www.nybg.org. They're open Tuesday - Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.

* Saturday, March 23 & 30, 2024 from 10 am - 2 pm - Easter Egg Hunts - at the Bartow Pell Mansion at 895 Shore Road in Pelham Bay Park. The hunts are four one hour long sessions starting every hour on the hour, costing $15 per child, and adults accompanying children are free. For details and tickets see - https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org.

* Easter Brunches. Saturday & Sunday, March 30 & 31, 2024. Some of the restaurants and shops of Bronx Little Italy celebrate Easter in their own small ways, which can sometimes be an unsuspecting culinary delight to visitors. For details about Bronx Little Italy see - https://www.bronxlittleitaly.com.

Click here to see Bronx street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.

Staten Island Easter Parade & Easter Events & Egg Hunts NYC

* Saturday, March 23, 2024 from 1 to 4 pm - Easter / Spring Party - at Empire Outlets at 55 Richmond Terrace on the 2nd level [outside of Old Navy] in the St. George neighborhood of Staten Island. The event includes face painting, balloons, music and photos with Easter Bunny. For details copy & paste - https://www.empireoutlets.nyc. Free.

* Saturday, March 23, 2024 from 5 / 6 to 8 pm - 4th Annual Community Iftar in the Park at Snug Harbor at 1000 Richmond Terrace in the Randall Manor neighborhood of Staten Island. It's a Ramadan community dinner. For details and to rsvp copy & paste - https://snug-harbor.org. This is near building P. There will be four speakers, as well as arts, crafts and refreshments. Free.

* Saturday, March 30, 2024 beginning at 10 am and 1 pm, there's Easter at the Mount [Loretto] at 6541 Hylan Blvd in the Charleston neighborbood of Staten Island. Mount Loretto is hosting a couple of Easter Brunches, Egg Hunts & Events which they describe as follows, " ... Enjoy buffet breakfast, music and dancing, then take a professional photo with the Easter Bunny that you can take home. Grab your Easter Basket and hunt in the island’s largest Easter Egg Patch loaded with more than 4,000 eggs plus 10 Golden Eggs filled with special prizes. Two seatings to choose from ...". For details and $25 adults & $40 kids tickets see - https://cc-si.org/ . Easter at Mount Loretto in the Charleston neighborhood of Staten Island. FYI - in 2023 the 10 am seating sold out.

* Sunday, March 31, 2024 beginning at 11 am, 1 pm & 2 pm - Annual Easter Egg Hunt & Brunch at Grand Oaks Country Club. at 200 Huguenot Avenue in Rossville neighborhood of Staten Island. For details and $25 [kids] and $60 [adults] tickets see - https://www.grandoaksnyc.com/

* Sunday, March 31, 2024 beginning 10 / 10.30 am Buffet Brunch & 10.15 / 10.45 am Sit Down Brunch at the Stone House on Clove Lake. at 1150 Clove Road in the Castleton Corners neighborhood on Staten Island NYC. This is a Classic Easter Brunch [they also serve Easter Dinner] in a beautiful setting overlooking Clove Lake. For $50 / $30 rsvps and details copy & paste - https://thestonehousesi.com

Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2024.

GREEK ORTHODOX EASTER COMING MAY 5, 2024

The photo at right was taken in Astoria of the Holy Friday evening procession, where the Greek Orthodox church members reenact the carrying of Christ's body back from Mount Calvary, by carrying a florally decorated epitaphios, which is a casket.

BROOKLYN ORTHODOX Easter Events. Friday, April 14, 2023 begins at 10.30 am with the decoration of the epitaphios, followed by the unnailing service at 2.30 pm, and at 7 pm the Lamentation and carrying of the epitaphios around the neighborhood of the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church at 8401 Ridge Blvd in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. For details see - https://www.holycrossbrooklyn.com/.

MANHATTAN ORTHODOX Easter Events. Friday, April 14, 2023 beginning at 7 pm a Greek Orthodox Church Trisagion Service commemorating Holy Friday and the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ with the carrying of the epitaphios through the streets of Gramercy Park in a candlelit procession. The religious and cultural event includes a procession from the Church of St. John around several nearby blocks, before returning to the church. St. John is located at 148 East 17th Street at 3rd Avenue in the Gramercy Park neighborhood of Manhattan. For more details, including of Greek Orthodox Easter Sunday mass see - https://www.stjohn.ny.goarch.org/

QUEENS ORTHODOX Easter Events. Friday, April 14, 2023 beginning at 7 pm a Greek Orthodox Church Lamentation Service commemorating Holy Friday and the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ with the carrying of the epitaphios through the streets of Astoria in a candlelit procession. The religious and cultural event includes a procession from the St. Demetrios Cathedral in Astoria around several nearby blocks before returning to the church. St. Demetrios is located at 30-11 30th Drive at 31st Street in Astoria. In past year, several of the Astoria Greek Orthodox churches held their own Holy Friday celebrations and processions, but as of this posting [4.2.23], only St. Demetrios has posted any specifics for 2023. The other two churches which I have reported on in the past include St Irene Chrysovalantou and St Markella. For more details, including of Greek Orthodox Easter Sunday mass see - https://www.saintdemetriosastoria.com/church/ https://www.stirene.org / https://www.saintmarkellagoc.org

BRONX ORTHODOX Easter Events. As of this post [4.2.23] I could not find any specifics regarding Greek Orthodox Holy Friday Easter processions in the Bronx. But here are a few Orthodox churches in the Bronx, including an Ethiopian one. 1) Zoodohos Peghe Greek Orthodox Church at 3573 Bruckner Blvd / 718.823.2030 / https://www.zoodohospeghe.org/ 2) St. Peter Greek Orthodox Church at 3245 Kingsbridge Ave,nue / 718. 549.8773 / https://stpeter.ny.goarch.org/ and 3) Holy Trinity Ethiopian Orthodox Church at 140 West 176th Street / 718. 299.2741 / http://www.holytrinityeotcny.org/.

STATEN ISLAND ORTHODOX Easter Events. There is a Greek Orthodox Church, Holy Trinity Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, at 1641 Richmond Avenue on Staten Island [718.494.0658]. For details see - https://htsaintnicholas.ny.goarch.org/. Nothing has been posted regarding Easter services as of this post [4/2/23].