Most people know and love the Fred Astaire and Judy Garland Movie 'Easter parade' - and that Easter parade still takes place with the inhabitants of New York showing off their finery.

Its not a formally organised event, like so many of the big New York parades. Go to Fifth Avenue and the stretch between 49th and 57th Streets is closed to traffic so that folks can parade in their Easter Outfits - everything you can imagine will be seen from the finest haute couture and millinery to historical costumes and fancy dress - anything goes! It's not the biggest and brashest of Parades but it's friendly and fun and worth visiting if you are anywhere nearby.

One of the highlights, if you are an animal lover, is the fantastic costumes worn by the pets but that is as nothing to the charity Haute Dog Easter parade in Long Beach. Dogs dressed in their finest parading to raise money for a range of charities. Up to 500 dogs process through Long Beach with prizes for the best costumes and bonnets. There are even prizes for the Best Bonnet on a Human!

There are lots of other more traditional Easter Events around the world, more rooted in the past - in England the Queen distributes 'Maundy Money' on the Thursday before Easter. Maundy Money is specially minted coins, which are legal tender, given to Senior citizens in a ceremony that goes back a thousand years. One male and one female recipient for each year of the Monarch's life is chosen from the population and the Queen herself presents them with the two purses containing the coins.

One of the most fun traditions must be the Pace Egg plays of the Calder Valley in West Yorkshire where St George, Bold Slasher, The Doctor, The Black Prince, The King Of Egypt, Hector and Toss Pot perform what is probably one of the world's oldest dramas going back to ancient Egypt and Syria. It is said that a kiss from Toss Pot will ensure a baby during the following year!