The New York City Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival down Fifth Avenue is a curious thing. It seems as though a casual stroll down Fifth Avenue just happened one day in the 1800s, not city sanctioned or devised by a certain church group, and was pleasant enough that the stroll attracted more and more people in their Easter finery until it became a full-blown attraction unto itself. Today, church service isn't as much of a prerequisite for the parade as it is something that happens alongside the revelers in their fancy hats. We looked back at some of the more fun millinery from recent years, ahead of the parade's planned return this Sunday, April 17.





















