Creative hats rock annual Easter parade in New York City

Sporting their festive garments, people from around the world took to the famed 5th Avenue on Manhattan, New York City, for the annual Easter Sunday parade, where there was a showcase of headgear of various kinds.

Folks strolled the area along the Fifth Avenue from 49th to 57th Streets, which were closed to traffic from 10 a.m., local time, to 4 p.m. Sunday, admiring diverse Easter bonnets, hats, as well as Easter outfits ranging from elegant to outrageous, including garments accented with live animals, costumes of civil war period and the latest high fashions.

Easter Parade, which is a far less organized event, doesn't have any floats or marching bands but it is nonetheless a spectacle.

The parade in New York is said to be a tradition that has been going on for more than a century, which originally meant to showcase what prosperous New Yorkers wore when going to church.

Among the paraders was New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, who joined New Yorkers in celebrating the Easter Sunday and conveyed the holiday message in a written statement.

"It is a time of great joy and reflection. Easter also signals the beginning of spring after a long winter, and it offers the spirit of hope and revitalization to all," said Cuomo. "In the spirit of renewal, I look forward to our continued work together to make the Empire State even stronger." Endite