One of the scariest things about starting a parade can be worrying if people are going to show up. I guess that can be said for any inaugural event, especially when organizers are competing with a Sabres playoff game day. As luck would have it, the Inaugural Easter Bonnet Parade, held on Elmwood Avenue on Easter Sunday, went off without a hitch, and the attendance was much larger than anticipated. The Easter bonnets were also grander and more colorful than anyone could have guessed… and then there were the outfits. If you’ve ever attended The (MASH) Bash or The Stiletto Run, then you know how much people in this city like to get dressed up and show off their stuff.
The partnership between the business community, the religious community and the community as a whole was the most impressive aspect of this spectacle. The parade was made possible through an inspiring partnership headed up by Splash Panic!, CanCan Candy, the Elmwood Village Association, World Healing is Self Healing (WHISH), the Unitarian Universalist Church and Lafayette Presbyterian Church. Participants gathered at the Unitarian Church before setting off for Lafayette Presbyterian Church, where an Easter Bonnet contest ensued. I have a feeling that next year (just like the Stiletto Run), this parade is going to double in size if not triple – judging from all of the excitement. People are already talking about how to make the parade even more colorful… if that’s even possible. Check out the slide show!