New York City events: April 2012

Sunday best gets new meaning during this annual procession, wherein participants show off elaborately constructed hats—we’re talking noggin-toppers shaped like the NYC skyline or the Coney Island Cyclone, not just a boring old fedora. The tradition started in the mid-1800s, when high-society ladies would promenade in their Easter finery after church, and has since evolved into a showcase for chapeau artistry.

Robert De Niro's downtown festival draws roughly 400,000 film fans each year, who come to view more than 1,000 films, from high-profile premieres to break-out indies. Visit the website for the full schedule of screenings, panels, talks and other events, as well as the various locations for each.