Will COVID variant stop Ragamuffin Parade?

COVID-19 may take away another beloved Bay Ridge tradition yet again.

Just hours after Coney Island USA canceled this year’s Mermaid Parade and the West Indian Day Parade was postponed, the Ragamuffin Parade Committee considered canceling this year’s popular event.

According to committee members, the Ragamuffin Parade Committee will vote to cancel this year’s parade, which was supposed to take place Sat. Oct. 2.

The annual fall parade has brought hundreds of people in attendance and features floats, marching bands and costumed children. This would have been the 55th annual parade, since the event was canceled last year, also due to COVID

In a letter written by parade committee president Rose Gangi to other committee members, because of the Delta variant and the cancelation of the Mermaid Parade, Gangi and the committee felt it wasn’t safe to move forward with a parade that brings hundreds of families and their kids to the location.

She added that the younger children who the parade invites and celebrates are not vaccinated because kids under the age of 12 aren’t eligible to be vaccinated. There is also speculation that a booster or additional shot will be needed for adults in the coming months.