The best things to do for Easter in NYC

This parade is all about the hats—lavishly decorated, from the exquisite to the outlandish. Anyone is welcome to join, just show up near St. Patrick’s Cathedral at 10am on Easter Sunday (April 20, 2025) to watch or saunter with the group up Fifth Avenue. The tradition dates back to the 1870s, so you might even see some participants in period costumes. But the highlight is the elaborate bonnets, some of which are truly over-the-top. 

All revelers are welcome. The only requirement is a bonnet, the more whimsical the better.

Brunch is competitive in New York City any time of year, and interest ticks up even higher on holidays. On Easter Sunday in particular, which falls on April 20 this year, demand for mimosas, bloody Marys, eggs Benedict and all manner of pancakes soars higher than rooftop bars.

It's a good time to plan ahead, is all, and these restaurants are receiving some of the best Easter brunch offerings in NYC this year. 

Did you know that the building that currently houses Tavern on the Green, the legendary restaurant in Central Park, used to be a sheep meadow? Built in 1870, it originally housed the flock that grazed nearby Sheep Meadow, along with their shepherd.

This Easter, the restaurant is tipping its hat to that pastoral past in the most charming way: by inviting a real-life sheep to brunch. That’s right—during Easter brunch, a woolly guest of honor will be mingling with diners, bringing the building's quirky, bucolic history full circle.

Speaking of the food: the restaurant is offering two special four-course prix-fixe menus on Sunday, April 20, one for brunch and the other for dinner.

Join Children's Museum of Manhattan educators and artists for a weekend-long Easter Egg-stravaganza on April 18-20. Activities include basket weaving, puppet-egg hunts, egg painting, and more. 

During a museum-wide scavenger hunt, search for NYC-inspired puppets around the museum, from iconic NYC cars to a Broadway star, and complete the challenge to win a prize.

As for basket weaving, learn how to weave, loop, twist, and curl repurposed materials to create an eco-friendly Easter basket that promotes the importance of recycling and the joy of spring. Accompany your upcycled basket by painting your own wooden egg character inspired by spring florals and bright colors. 

Hop aboard a City Cruises experience for a festive meal on the water. Easter brunch is available on Sunday, April 20.

During the brunch, expect a 2.5-hour cruise aboard New York’s European-inspired, glass-enclosed vessel on the Bateaux New York Easter Premier Plus Brunch Cruise. Taste specialty wines, sip unlimited mimosas, dine on a gourmet with table service, and enjoy live DJ entertainment to kick off the special morning. 

Need a vacation? Head to The Bronx for The Orchid Show: Mexican Modernism at New York Botanical Garden. The sprawling floral exhibition, with its vibrant colors, flowing waterfalls and thousands of orchids, makes for a transportive tropical escape. 

This year's show, presented in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, was inspired by the art of the Mexican modernist architect Luis Barragán. Throughout your floral adventure, you'll learn about the late artist's ethos as you stroll through meditative spaces, explore minimalist designs and notice contrasting details. The Orchid Show: Mexican Modernism is open through April 27.

Forget the 14-hour flight from NYC to Tokyo, you can now discover the tastes of Japan with just a short subway ride to JAPAN Fes. The massive annual food festival just announced its 2025 dates, and the schedule is packed with events. On Easter weekend, JAPAN Fes pops up on April 19 on the Upper West Side and on April 20 in Chelsea.

Vendors hail from New York City, as well as other states and other countries. Past festivals have featured foods like takoyaki, ramen, matcha sweets, yakisoba, karaage, okonomiyaki and lots more. 

For neurodiverse audiences, the world of performing arts is not always a welcoming place. So in its seventh annual Big Umbrella Festival, Lincoln Center is inviting that world to come to them.

From April 4 through April 20, 2025, the arts complex will host companies from the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Mexico and Peru in programs specially designed to entertain and engage with children, teens and adults with autism, sensory and communication disorders or learning disabilities. The festival's events cover a spectrum of theater, music, dance, comedy and visual art. Many of the events feature interactive and participatory elements.