A Bay Ridge Tradition, the Ragamuffin Parade and Third Avenue Festival

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Generally Bay Ridge, where I grew up and still live, is a relatively quiet community, but there are a few events and places we rally around as a neighborhood, like Century 21, Shore Road Park and Halloween trick or treating. The annual Ragamuffin Parade and Third Avenue Festival–two events held every fall, is another Bay Ridge tradition, drawing huge crowds, though if you don’t live here, you’ve probably never heard of it.

As a kid, I always looked forward to Ragamuffin weekend as an opportunity to eat, play games and hang out with friends. The Ragamuffin Parade, which celebrates its 48th year this Saturday, travels along Third Avenue from 76th to 92nd streets and usually counts school marching bands, civic associations, politicians and other local groups among its participants–not to mention hundreds of costumed children. It’s a real small-town-in-the-big-city experience. The Third Avenue Festival happens the following Sunday and has everything you want in a street fair: carnival games, rides, live music, and food vendors (sausages and zeppolis anyone?) along with outdoor offerings from the mom-and-pop stores and restaurants. For residents of Bay Ridge, the parade and festival weekend is once–a-year opportunity to show some civic pride, greet neighbors and have some fun. Maybe this is the weekend you check out our Bay Ridge guide and come take yourself on a tour the neighborhood.

The 48th Annual Ragamuffin Parade will be held on Saturday, Sept. 27 on Third Avenue between 76th and 92th streets, 12:30pm. The Third Avenue Festival will be held on Sunday, Sept. 28 on Third Avenue usually between Bay Ridge Avenue and 101st Street, from 11am to 6pm.

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