‘Easter Parade’ A Reason To Smile Dan Rather and Team Steady Apr 20 Credit: MGM I can think of no better reason to smile than a song sung by the great Judy Garland. Lucky for us, one of her best is the title song from the 1948 movie “Easter Parade.” The film has quite a pedigree. It stars Garland and Fred Astaire, who came out of retirement to replace an injured Gene Kelly. All the songs in the Oscar-winning movie musical were written by Irving Berlin. The film is based on the American Easter parade, a cultural event that celebrates springtime and fancy bonnets. Imagine trying to sell that idea to Hollywood today! The parades began as an impromptu affair in the 1870s. New York City’s upper crust would dress in their finery for Easter Sunday services, including bonnets adorned with colorful feathers and flowers. After church, if the early spring weather was fine, they would walk home. Eventually the parade became more formalized and participants would stroll up Fifth Avenue, as Garland and Astaire do in the final scene of the film. Today, you will find folks parading along Fifth Avenue and in other American cities and towns in their Easter bonnets, the bigger and brighter, the better. Happy Easter to all who celebrate. Credit: Getty Images No matter how you subscribe, I thank you for reading, watching, and listening. Stay Steady, Dan