Easter on Parade to return to Monument Avenue after three year hiatus thanks to new partners

After a three-year hiatus, one of Richmond’s beloved and most festive springtime events, Easter on Parade, will return to Monument Avenue on Sunday, April 9, from 1 – 5 p.m. between Davis and North Allen Avenues. The event is free and will be held rain or shine.

This year marks the first time the event organizers partnered with official sponsors to help produce the event.  As presenting sponsor of the event, Kroger Mid-Atlantic wanted to be part of the team that returns this free, family-friendly, and nostalgic event to the community.

“The lore of Easter on Parade and the joy it brought to so many Richmonders made it easy for us to say yes to be a part of the team to return this special event for everyone to enjoy,” said James Menees with Kroger Mid-Atlantic. “It’s our hope that friends and family meet on Monument, enjoy the day together and pick up right where they left off with Easter on Parade.”

First held in 1973, Easter on Parade is a community event that celebrates spring with friends, families, and pets gathering to walk the closed-off Monument Avenue while enjoying live music, arts and crafts, vendors, and plenty of bonnets, pastels, and bunny-inspired outfits. The People and Pet Bonnet Contest will take place at 3:30 p.m. at N. Allen Street.

“The Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia is a place for all people, and we are a part of the community,” said Andrea Wright, director of development & communications at the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia. “Easter on Parade is a wonderful tradition, and we are so happy that this event allows us to connect with members of the community in a way we have never done before.”

Additional funding and support for the 2023 Easter on Parade came from the City of Richmond and the Monument Avenue Preservation Society. The event is organized and managed by Echelon Events. Historically, Easter on Parade typically attracted 25,000 Richmonders from all over the region.

“It’s not springtime in Richmond without Easter on Parade. We know the community will be excited to see this special event return just as they loved it,” said Michael Lantz with the Monument Avenue Preservation Society. “We’re grateful to Kroger, the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, the City of Richmond, and everyone who worked together to bring back this famous event.”