queens easter events nyc queens things to do easter qns nyc

Queens Easter Events, Brunches & Ceremonies in QNS NYC

There are Two Easters Observed - 1) West European Christians & 2) East European Orthodox

April 17, 2025 / Queens Neighborhoods NYC / Queens Things To Do Events NYC / Queens Buzz NYC.

Very Brief Introduction to Christian Easter Traditions

Christians observe Good Friday, which is when the Bible tells us that Jesus died on the cross. On the Sunday following Good Friday, Christians celebrate the Biblical account of Jesus rising from the dead, which is Easter.

Emperor Constantine became the Roman Emperor in 306. In 324 Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.

In 1054, the Great Schism occurred, wherein Christianity split into two different sects - Roman Catholic Christians [primarily in Western Europe] and Orthodox Christians [primarily in Eastern Europe]. The traditions have much in common, but one of the differences is in how they calculate the time of Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

The Western European Christians [Protestants and Catholics] use the Gregorian Calendar to calculate when to celebrate Good Friday and Easter. The Gregorian calendar was created in the 16th century and made the official calendar by Pope Gregory. Orthodox Christians use the Julian Calendar, which was made law in the Roman Empire in 45 B.C. by Julius Caesar. The primary difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars is that the Gregorian calendar uses Leap Year [this year is one of them] to adjust the calendar for the 1/4 extra day per year, that to our rotation around the sun requires. Thus the calendar differences, and how the date of Easter is calculated, is why the Orthodox and Roman Catholic / Protestant Christian Easters oftentimes occur on different dates.

This year [2025] the celebrations of the two traditions are celebrated the same week, whereas in 2024 the celebrations were separated by five weeks. So both the traditional Western European Christian and the Eastern Orthodox Christians are celebrating Easter the same week.

Next Up - The History of the Easter Bunny & Related Traditions

CLICK here to view our report on Easter events, Easter egg hunts and Easter brunches in Queens NYC. We start off with a brief history of the Easter Bunny and the origin of related traditions.

Queens Easter Events, Brunches & Ceremonies in QNS NYC

There are Two Easters Observed - 1) West European Christians & 2) East European Orthodox

April 17, 2025 / Queens Neighborhoods NYC / Queens Things To Do Events NYC / Queens Buzz NYC. Continued.

The Origin of Easter Bunny & Related Traditions

The origin of the Easter Bunny and the related traditions of painting and hiding eggs dates back to southern Germany in ancient times. Eggs were a sign of fertility, and according to some accounts, the Easter hare originated as a bird before becoming the rabbit. The rabbit is also known as a fertile animal giving birth to litters of little rabbits.

The tradition arrived in America in Pennsylvania in the 1700's. From there it evolved into the whole slew of grand traditions it has become today, which in NYC include an Easter parade of fashion on Easter day in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral on 5th Avenue, numerous Easter Egg hunts in parks and other places in all five boroughs, as well as numerous Easter Brunches organized by numerous restaurants around the city.

What follows are a selection of many of the Easter events occurring in NYC in the coming week. These include a number of Orthodox Easter events, including one of my favorites, which is the Greek Orthodox Holy Friday procession of re-enacting Christ's climb up Mount Calvary. The Greeks call Mount Calvary, Golgatha, translated means the Place of the Skull. We have also included a few non-Easter events we believed are timed to take advantage of folks looking to use their leisure time in non-traditional Easter ways. Have a Happy Easter.

This page is organized as follows this year [2025].

First we included all of the Greek Orthodox Holy Friday evening processions carrying the epitaphios.

Then we take you through Easter Weekend events.

Queens Greek Orthodox Easter Events

Specifically Holy Friday Passion and carrying of the epitafios. All churches noted below also hold Easter Sunday services, which you may find by using the urls provided below to go to their websites.

Friday, April 18, 2025 beginning at 7 pm - Lamentation Service & Epitafios - at St. Demetrios at 30-11 30th Drive at 31st Street in Astoria. For details see - https://www.saintdemetriosastoria.com/church/

Friday, April 18, 2025 beginning at 7.30 to 10 pm - Lamentation Service & Epitafios - at St Markella 22-68 26th Street [between Ditmars & 23rd Avenues] in Astoria. For details, including of Greek Orthodox Easter Sunday mass, see - https://www.saintmarkellagoc.org

Friday, April 18, 2025 probably beginning around 7 pm [UNCONFIRMED] - Lamentation Service & Epitafios - at St Irene Chrysovalantou at 36-07 23rd Avenue [also between Ditmars & 23rd Avenues] in Astoria. For details, including of Greek Orthodox Easter Sunday mass, see - https://www.stirene.org

Editor's Note. The following is somewhat duplicative of the above. I need to take a closed look when time permits.

Friday, April 18, 2025 beginning at 7 pm a Greek Orthodox Church Lamentation Service commemorating Holy Friday and the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ with the carrying of the epitaphios through the streets of Astoria in a candlelit procession. The religious and cultural event includes a procession from the St. Demetrios Cathedral in Astoria around several nearby blocks before returning to the church. St. Demetrios is located at 30-11 30th Drive at 31st Street in Astoria. For more details see - https://www.saintdemetriosastoria.com/church

Two other Astoria Greek Orthodox churches hold their own Holy Friday Lamentation services and processions which I have reported on in the past. They include St Irene Chrysovalantou and St Markella. St Markella is the only one for which I have definitive confirmation for 2025 services - 7.30 pm - and the procession - 10 pm. St. Markella is located at 22-68 26th Street [between Ditmars & 23rd Avenues] in Astoria. St. Irene is located at 36-07 23rd Avenue [also between Ditmars & 23rd Avenues] in Astoria. For more details see - https://www.saintmarkellagoc.org or For more details see - https://www.stirene.org

In the photo above or at right, you can see an example of the vibrant religious and cultural tradition of Greek Orthodox Christianity. This photo was taken in a prior year in Astoria, Queens of the St. Demetrios Cathedral Holy Friday evening procession, which follows Lamentation Services, wherein the congregation marches through the streets in a re-enactment of the Passion, which is Christ's descent from Calvary Hill, where he was crucified, and his placement in a flower decked tomb, which is signified by the epitaphios.

Queens Easter Parade & Easter Events & Egg Hunts NYC

Friday, Saturdays & Sundays April 5, 6, 12, 13, 18, 19 & 20, 2025 from 11 am to 5 pm - Green Meadows Farm Easter Egg Hunt 2025 - at Alley Pond at 224-65 76th Street [at Union Turnpike] in the Oakland Gardens neighborhood of Queens.For details copy & paste - https://greenmeadowsfarmbrooklyn.com. $15.
- Last year [2024] it was at the Aviator Sports Center at 3159 Flatbush Avenue in the Marine Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. The future of that site is currently being debated as it has a lease with the federal government.

Sunday, April 13 & Saturday, April 19, 2025 from 10 am to 5 pm - Barnyard Egg Hunt - at the Queens County Farm Museum at 73-50 Little Neck Parkway in Floral Park Queens. For $16 TIMED tickets and details, copy & paste - https://www.queensfarm.org/

Saturday, April 19, 2025 from 10 am to 12 noon - Queens Easter Festival - in Gantry Plaza State Park at Center Blvd and [4-44] 47th Rd in LIC Queens. It's an Easter Egg Hunt at Gantry Plaza, wherein kids ages 2 - 10 get to go Easter Egg hunting for free. But the kids are organized into groups which are timed starting with ages 2 - 3 at 10.10 am and closing with kids ages 9 - 10 starting at 11.50 am. For free, but required, rsvp tickets and details, copy & paste - http://www.queenseasterfestival.com/lic

CLICK here to view Queens Easter Events Brunches Egg Hunts & Holy Friday Greek Orthodox Processions 2025 in QNS NYC.

Click here to view Queens street fairs & festivals NYC 2025.

Easter Brunches in Queens NYC

Sunday, April 20, 2025 from 12 noon to 6 pm - Easter Brunch or Dinner at Russo's on the Bay - at 162-45 Cross Bay Blvd in Howard Beach in Queens. They're offering Easter specials and they serve authentic Mediterranean cuisine. To rsvp and details, copy & paste - https://www.russosonthebay.com

Sunday, April 20, 2025 from 12 noon to 10 pm - Easter Brunch or Dinner at Kyclades - in Astoria or Bayside in Queens. They serve authentic Aegean cuisine. For the menu and to rsvp see - https://www.tavernakyclades.com/