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The origins of Easter egg painting
date back nearly 2,500 years and these colorful creations continue to be a global
symbol of rebirth and hope. Bearing this positive exuberance in mind, a wealth
of festivals and celebrations take place during this spring holiday.
In the late
1700s, folks began donning floral wreaths on their heads to celebrate the occasion,
and it didn't take long for the fashionistas of the day to mark the date in their
own way, creating festive bonnets. Soon after, parades featuring elaborate and
whimsical headgear began springing up around the world. In the late 19th
century, German immigrants to the United
States brought with them a tradition of adorning baskets and hiding sweet
treats around the home and a new delicious game for adults and kids was
born: the ever-popular Easter egg hunt.
Nowadays, major urban centers throw an
array of vibrant celebrations, from parades of decadent hats in New
York, to train rides with the Easter bunny in Santa
Fe, to festive processions in New
Orleans. Whether it's a high-energy egg hunt or kaleidoscopic parades,
the following top ten Easter celebrations are sure to satisfy.
SAN FRANCISCO'S DAZZLING
COLORS ON UNION
The
Union Street Spring Celebration and Easter Parade is a family-friendly
gathering held in the heart of the picturesque city by the bay and inspires
throngs of people to pack the street from Gough to Fillmore each year. Dazzling
costumes, dizzying carnival rides, and bistro dining are all part of the fun.
Widely dubbed the biggest little parade in San
Francisco, the event also features roller-blading cows, wind-powered
floats, and vintage automobiles.
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HUNTING FOR GOODIES
AT MIAMI'S METROZOO
With the gorgeous beaches and glittering skyline of this festive Florida
city providing the backdrop, the wee ones will delight in the opportunity to
hunt for sweet treasures amid the exotic creatures on display at the Miami
MetroZoo. In addition to being an educational and fun experience for
children, the animals are also in on the festivities, with various treasures
hidden around the enclosures for them to root out.
SOUTHERN FINERY IN
NEW ORLEANS
Chris Owens throws a lavish and formal Easter
parade each year, complete with stunning costumes, breathtaking bonnets,
and ornate vintage buggies and cars providing the transportation. Whimsical
marching bands are also part of the fun as the parade winds through the historic
French
Quarter of New Orleans.
An elegant brunch heralds the beginning of the event and the atmosphere recalls
days of finery and a more genteel south.
BUNNY ON THE ATLANTIC
CITY BOARDWALK
The historic boardwalk
of Atlantic City
is one of the most breathtaking strolls around and once per year, the Easter
bunny commandeers the area for a festive spectacle, scattering chocolates and
goodies to the eager crowds. For nearly 150 years, the city has been throwing
a lavish parade
to commemorate Easter with visitors and locals alike participating in and appreciating
the good times.
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ASHEVILLE NORTH CAROLINA:
FUN AT THE MANSION
Packs of eager Easter Egg hunters converge on the lush lawn of the famed Biltmore
Estate (once the largest private home in the U.S.) in Asheville,
North Carolina
each Easter in the hopes of finding delectable treasures tucked under bushes
and nestled in the fragrant flower beds. Demand is so high for this enormously
popular Easter
egg hunt, three start times are schedule throughout the day.
FASHION ON FIFTH,
MANHATTAN
Thousands of fashion concious New
Yorkers take to Fifth
Avenue for the Easter
Parade and Bonnet Festival each year, sporting an assortment of Easter
finery. The storied stretch of street in the heart of Manhattan
brims with color and activity as the avenue is closed to traffic, lending a
carnival atmosphere to the area. The walking parade is so popular, Irving Berlin
immortalized the event in song and people come from far and wide to take part
in this yearly fashionable and festive extravaganza.
FUN ON THE WHITE HOUSE
LAWN
Initiated by Pat Nixon back in 1969, at perhaps the most famous residence in
the world, the White
House throws a lively children's party on the south lawn every Easter.
Kids from all over enjoy hopping and skipping around the propert, taking part
in fun activities sucah as face painting, egg rolling, and story corners. The
White
House Easter Egg Roll is also the largest public event occurring at
100 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC every year.
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The
famed New Orleans Bourbon Street.4 |
HAY RIDES & EGG HUNTS
Hosted on a Medford
New Jersey working farm,
complete with hayrides and an Easter egg hunt, the Johnson's
Corner Farm Hayride event is so popular, it's been expanded to span
over two weeks. The little ones can ride amid real hay bales on an authentic
tractor and discover the joys of a working farm. Interactive petting areas also
give the whole family an opportunity to get up close and personal with horses,
goats, and various farm animals.
RIDING FROM SANTA FE
WITH THE EASTER BUNNY
Hop aboard the Easter express as the Sante
Fe Southern Railway takes riders on a scenic journey through some of
the most spectacular country in the U.S.
The Easter bunny makes a special appearance on this Santa
Fe, New Mexico
train trip,bringing along a bountiful basket with chocolatey treats for the
passengers.
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Canada's Biggest
Easter Parade
The eclectic and funky Beaches
neighbourhood of Toronto
comes alive with a vibrant assortment of floats and performers during
the annual Lions
Club Easter Parade and celebration. Members of the community adorn
their floats in a wide range of themes and marching bands join in on the
fun. The Easter bunny is always around, doling out heaps of treats for
kids of all ages.
The Toronto
Zoo also hosts an egg
hunt for children aged 12 and under, with a slight twist. Clues
will lead the kids to an exotic amphibian, creating a unique learning
experience.
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STYLE ON NEW ORLEANS'
BOURBON STREET
The
Official Gay Easter Parade, celebrating gay pride with a touch of class,
has garnered a reputation as one of the more elegant celebrations in the city
of New Orleans. The
costumes are more haute couture than slinky, and the event marshals are considered
the height of elegance throughout the community. Meticulously crafted gowns
and bonnets vie for some of the generous prizes awarded by the judges of this
high class procession, which meanders along Bourbon
Street on Easter Sunday.
If you enjoyed this feature,
take a look at these great Worldweb.com articles:
•The
Best of North America's Chocolate Attractions
•North
America's Top 10 Saint Patrick's Day Parades
PHOTOS COURTESY OF:
- Vibrantly colored
balloons; USA
- Trombone on parade;
USA
- Easter eggs in the
grass; USA
- Bourbon Street; New
Orleans, USA
United States
