GENERALLY SPEAKING: Bay Ridge’s Supersized Weekend

Thousands came from southwest Brooklyn and beyond for a whopperof a weekend of fun and entertainment presented on Saturday, by the45th annual Children’s Ragamuffin Parade, and on Sunday by themassive Third Avenue Festival sponsored by the Merchants of ThirdAvenue.

Even Mother Nature cooperated big time, with sunny skies,holding off with a light shower until the parade ended. Among thehighlights of the Ragamuffin Parade was the stellar performance bythe Fort Hamilton High School championship marching band which willbe leading the annual Brooklyn Columbus Day Parade up on 18thAvenue also known as Christopher Columbus Boulevard, from 60th to84th Street, on Saturday, October 8, kicking off at 1 p.m.

Another big hit at the parade were Mickey and Minnie Mouse andof course, Jolly Old St. Nick — but aboard a pickup truck with sunglasses no less! Com’on guys, bring back the long tradition thatgenerations of Ragamuffin participants fondly remember of Santariding high on top of a bright red fire engine courtesy of theFDNY.

Parade Grand Marshal Christina Tettonis led theparade along with Ellen Kane, wife of the late TomKane

Other bands we spotted were the Clan Eirann Pipers and the OLPHRidgemen Alumni Band. Chuck Otey was tapped as theparade commentator by Ragamuffin officers ColleenGolden and ArleneKeating. While thousands of kids marched or werewheeled in strollers, wagons and carriages guided by their parents,the parade committee should consider adding more musical units.

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The 38th annual Third Avenue Festival was fantastic. I could goon chapter and verse especially about the fine entertainmentChip Caifero put together for this event.

On one stage there was Frankie Marra and hisband in front of the Greenhouse Restaurant with a host ofadditional bands performing. Other platforms had kids of all agesfrom dance studios along Third and Fifth Avenue dancing up a storm,with Jeff Samaha of Ridge Chorale fame emceeingkids from the Bay Ridge Community Council’s Teen Idol Show, as wellas other area bands performing from the same stage.

Judge Matt D’EmicJohn LePore and Paul Cassone wererocking on another, and then there was the big ping pong matchupbetween Democrats and Republicans initialized by AssemblywomanNicole Malliotakis

The Dems were hoping to even the score from their loss of atug-of-war contest last May at the Bay Ridge Community CouncilPicnic, but the GOPers prevailed again, prompting us to say topossible Democratic contender Justin Brannan tobone up on his table tennis game!

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The next monthly meeting of Community Education Council 20 willtake place on Wednesday, October 12, at 7 p.m., at Dyker HeightsIntermediate School (IS 201), 80th Street and 12th Avenue.

Part of the agenda will be devoted to City CouncilmanVincent Gentile formally recognizing the schoolsthat participated in his 10th anniversary 9/11 poster tribute. Over3,000 posters were drawn or painted by local students. Their workswere then hung on the seawall fence along the Shore Road Promenadein conjunction with the 9/11 procession conducted by the Shore RoadParks Conservancy headed by retired Brooklyn Tech High SchoolAssistant Principal Charles Pomaro.

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Community Schools Superintendent KarinaCostantinoCarloScissuraWill BassoRichardPileggi

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Scissura also has made some new news! Favoredby Brooklyn Beep Marty Markowitz to replace him asborough president, he has stepped down as Markowitz’s chief ofstaff to raise funds and mount a campaign for borough president in2012. However, with the blessing of the City’s Ethics Board, he canstill serve as a lower level aide to Markowitz.

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