Why We Decided to Go
My family got super excited when we saw online ads about the Easter Day Parade in NYC. I mean, the kids hadn’t seen big city events since the pandemic started, and my wife loves festive stuff. So we just packed up and went for it.
Getting There & First Impressions
We drove from Jersey super early – like 7am early – cause parking’s always a mess. Had to circle blocks near Fifth Avenue forever. Finally found a spot and walked toward 49th Street. Already saw crowds forming with crazy hats everywhere! People were wearing legit flower gardens, giant bunny ears, even cupcake towers on their heads. My youngest shouted “Mom, they look like walking candy!”
The Parade Highlights
The vibe was wild but happy:
- Saw this massive float shaped like a rainbow with dancers throwing confetti everywhere
- Some jazz band marched by playing “Here Comes Peter Cottontail” on trumpets
- Met a dude dressed as Jesus carrying a neon cross – kids thought he was a superhero
- Ate the fluffiest cotton candy ever from a street vendor ($12 though! Highway robbery)
My wife got stopped five times cause her homemade flower hat kept shedding petals everywhere. People kept stepping on ’em!
What Went Wrong
Things got messy when:
- Our stroller wheel got stuck in a sewer grate – took three strangers to lift it out
- Rain started pouring around noon. Everyone ducked into stores, but we got soaked cause our umbrella snapped
- The kids whined nonstop about walking after two hours. Had to piggyback the little one for blocks
My phone died taking too many photos, so we got lost trying to find the car later. Total chaos.
Worth It Anyway
Ended up drying off at some random pizza joint while waiting for a phone charge. Kids fell asleep with sauce all over their faces on the drive home. Would we do it again? Maybe – but next time I’m wearing waterproof boots and bringing three backup chargers!
