By Kohard Bayizian
Everyone of every religion has springtime memories. I remember going with my family to Kissena Park in Flushing for an Easter celebration in the park. It was run by the city and featured a giant Easter bunny on two legs wearing a fancy suit.
When I got close for a handshake, I could swear I saw a human face inside the bunny’s two giant mesh eyes. There was an egg hunt and treats. The best thing, though, was the smell of new grass, springtime bark and baby flowers.
With Easter a few days away, there are many things to do in New York City. The most popular is the annual Easter Parade in Manhattan on Fifth Avenue between 49th and 57th Streets on April 11, beginning around 10 a.m. And then there is the annual Easter Eggstravaganza in Central Park on Saturday, April 10, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bethesda Terrace and other areas all through Central Park.
But if you’re not in the mood for trucking all the way to Manhattan, there are a lot of great events happening right here in Queens.
The Woodhaven Public Library will be holding an Easter craft activity for children ages 5 to 12 on Thursday at 4 p.m., and the Astoria Branch is having an Easter party on Monday at 3:30 p.m.
The Queens County Farm Museum will be having its annual barnyard Easter egg hunt in the orchard on Saturday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. There will even be an appearance by “Whiskers” the bunny, and you can visit the farm animals and go on a hayride.
Easter is a holy day, officially the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. But for everyone’s pleasure, Easter is all about new life, which is what bunnies, chicks, lambs (the stuffed kind you cuddle and, unfortunately, the kind you eat) and eggs — chocolate, jelly and real — represent.
It’s the time to plan your garden and buy daffodils. It comes long after the first day of spring, but it’s even better because it’s warmer and school’s out for a week. And when Easter’s here, can summer be far away?
