I met up with some swing dance friends today on Fifth Avenue and 49th for the annual Easter Parade, one of my favorite New York events of the year. More of a promenade than a parade, every year on Easter Sunday New Yorkers put on their Sunday best and strut their stuff down Fifth Avenue. You see amazing handmade bonnets, beautiful suits, and lots of silly Easter themed costumes.
The forecast this Easter was for a very chilly 40 degrees, with snow flurries possible. So I added a few more layers to my vintage outfit before heading out the door.
There were only a hearty dozen swingers gathered, compared to past years that numbered close to 50, but we managed to have a great time anyway. My buddy Eff brought a mini-amp that cranked out swing tunes that we could dance to. We piled up our winter coats and danced in the streets in our vintage outfits, quickly drawing a huge crowd of gawkers and photographers.
There’s something magical about dancing outdoors in public. People stop and smile and clap for you. Random passersby start dancing with you, crazy people meander about, kids stare at you like you are some alien creature. Thousands of pictures get taken, making you feel like a movie star. There’s really nothing like it, even on a freezing cold April afternoon.
Although right now my feet and back don’t feel so hot and I feel a cold coming on…
[Note: this is an old picture from the Easter Parade in 2003. Cindy was not around for this year’s parade, unfortunately.]