Ridgeites enjoy Fourth of July festivities

For Bay Ridge residents, the Fourth of July was not only a dayof patriotic pride, but a time for community togetherness aswell.

Bay Ridge families and groups of friends flocked to the ballfield at Shore Road and 82nd Street for the fourth annual Bay RidgeFourth of July picnic, conceived by native Brooklynite FrankieMarra and coordinated by Chip Cafiero. All proceeds from the picnicbenefited the 68th Precinct Youth Council, CERT 1 NYC and the BRAVOvolunteer ambulance service.

I like to see the community getting together. Bay Ridge used tobe dead on the Fourth of July. Look at this community, Marraexclaimed as he pointed to the masses of residents camped out onthe grass.

Children at the picnic enjoyed face painting and running throughthe sprinklers, while adults enjoyed the music performed by sevenlocal bands – Frankie Marra & His Band, Out of the Blue, TheRidge, The High Tides, Blues Circus, Windsor Terrors and theGroove.

It’s all Bay Ridge people coming down having a good time,Cafiero said. Everyone is in a good mood, people contribute a lotand it’s free.

Residents who attended the picnic expressed their excitementabout spending the national holiday with their neighbors andcontributing to local organizations.

It’s a great way to spend the Fourth and support greatorganizations – despite the heat, said local resident RoseanneGiannotta.

It’s a great event for the neighborhood, commented RidgeiteDon Byrnes. It picks everybody up. It’s great to see people doingsomething nice for each other.